D51 Scooby-Doo: Earth One: The Secret of Weinrib Trail
by wsdsrdbw4096
Summary: AU origin story and first entry of my Scooby-Doo: Earth One series. A string of disappearances at Weinrib Trail leads to the formation of a close partnership and friendship between four Coolsville teens and a dog. As title suggests, the series is inspired by DC Comics' Earth One line of works. Please read and review!
1. A typical Monday

**Author's note: Here's my origin story for a brand new alternate universe _Scooby_ series, titled _Scooby-Doo: Earth One._**

 **This series takes place in Dimension 51 ( NOT to be confused with D5-1, short for Dimension Five Timeline One, which contains my finished crossover with _Courage, the Cowardly Dog_ ) and like my _City of Mysteries_ series, which I have placed on hiatus, it's going to be darker and more serious than my other Scooby stories, and it'll incorporate elements from other versions of the gang, who lives in a Coolsville that is a major city, in this series.**

 **As the title of this new series suggest, it's inspired by DC Comics' _Earth One_ line of works, such as _Batman: Earth One_ and _Superman: Earth One_. As a matter a fact, this series will take place in the same universe and continuity as the DC _Earth One_ line, with this origin story based on Volume One of the former.**

 **Also, this origin story is inspired by Laniebeth19's story _Welker Trails Werewolf._ While I'm not a fan of how the author portrayed Shaggy in the said story (Slacker, implied stoner and skipping school), I have to the admit that the said story gave me the inspiration for this origin story, especially with the part where Shaggy went to work for Daphne's father, who's running for reelection as a congressman, which this story also takes inspiration from.**

 **I don't own _Scooby-Doo_. Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. does, while the concept of _Earth One_ belongs to DC Comics.**

* * *

Chapter 1: A typical Wednesday

 _October 6, 2010_

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

It was a typical Wednesday morning in Coolsville, a small city located in Southern California. Typical. Only one way for me to describe the morning as the alarm clock went off at the usual time, shattering a beautiful dream I was having during the night.

A dream that Maggie, Dad and I could be with Mom again.

I was tempted to grab a mallet to smash that blasted alarm clock as it rang, but I knew that I have to be at school in time, or otherwise, Dad will receive another late note from the school, and I had already promised him that he won't be receiving one of those notes again.

 **(Third person)**

The shaggy-haired sixteen-year old teenage boy yawned and stretched his arms after he shut off his alarm clock before getting up.

His room was a mess as usual, and he can see the guitar on the closet across from his bed. The sun shined through the basement window situated above his bed, and the boy, named Norville "Shaggy" Rogers (The nickname due to his shaggy-style hair), got out of his bed and went to the washroom to go through his usual routine.

After emerging from the washroom, Shaggy changed into his usual attire, consisting of a green shirt and brown pants, before grabbing his backpack and made his way up the stairs. Along the way, he stopped by the bottom of the stairs to shake his sleeping Great Dane. A Great Dane named Scoobert "Scooby" Doo.

"Like, time to wake up, old buddy." Shaggy gently shook Scooby.

There was some silence before the Great Dane groaned and stretched his legs.

"Roaky, Raggy." Scooby nodded as he scratched himself while Shaggy carried on up the stairs. The Great Dane soon followed suit.

He made his way to the dining table, where his twin sister Maggie and father Sam were already seated.

Sam was drinking his coffee as he read the newspaper, a routine the middle-aged police lieutenant will normally go through every morning. Being in his mid-forties, Sam's dusty brown hair has begun to develop grey streaks. It didn't help that it was a result from the stress from his job as a police homicide detective.

Samuel Chastain "Sam" Rogers sighed as his son took a bowl and spoon, grabbed the milk and cereal and started preparing his breakfast.

"Morning, Dad." Shaggy said as his sister ate her toast.

"Morning, Norville." The police lieutenant replied. "Good to see you up early."

Shaggy nodded as he poured milk into his bowl of cereal. "Like, I don't want you to have a fit when you receive another notice of me being late for classes."

Then, as he sat down to eat his cereal, he eyed the newspaper headline on the Coolsville Gazette his father is reading.

"Anything new on the news?" He asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Well, just the same old gossip on politics, particularly with the upcoming midterm elections in November." Sam replied as he put down his glasses. "And that bright congressman representing Coolsville's congressional district, Bartemius "Barty" Blake, has continued on with the usual attacks on his political opponents who are running to replace him in Congress."

"The most-hated man in Coolsville." Maggie interjected.

Sam nodded. "You don't need me to remind you two why I've warned you against getting anywhere close to those Blakes."

Shaggy and Maggie both nodded as the former replied, "Mom."

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

My mentioning of Mom was enough for us to let Dad know that Maggie and I understand why he never wants us to get anywhere near the Blakes.

Let me get something straight on Mom before I dive into the rest of my day.

Our mother's name is Wendy, and she was a research scientist working at Blake Enterprises, a oil mining and chemical research company owned by Barty Blake before he entered politics and ran to represent Coolsville's congressional district in the House of Representatives in 2006.

At the time Mom met Dad, he had completed his degree in chemical engineering along with a minor in criminology. Not sure why he decided to go for a major in chemical engineering while he has a passion in policing, but I guess he's interested in the forensics science part of policing.

Long story short, they fell in love and married. Then, on April 27, 1993, Maggie and I were born in the Coolsville General Hospital, which is now renamed as the Coolsville Don Messick Memorial Hospital after the passing of some famous man who sounded kind of like my old buddy Scooby.

Anyways, we settled down as Dad became a police officer while Mom found employment at Blake Enterprises. I once overheard Mr. Blake mentioning that Mom was one of the best employees working at his company.

But then, something happened that led to Mom feeling moody when Maggie and I were ten. I'm not sure what was that about, but Mom was clearly not happy. Maybe something bad happened at work, I don't really know, as Mags and I were quite young at the time.

Then one day, Mom left for work, or at least that's what I thought back then. She never returned home. A short while later, Dad returned home and told us that Mom's never coming home.

It took a while for Maggie and I to understand what Dad really meant, but eventually we did. Mom's been murdered and Dad's colleagues failed to get the guy that did it.

After Mom's death, Dad started to warn us not to get too close to anyone close to Mr. Blake, saying that he may have something to do with Mom's death. While I'm not sure if he has absolute proof that the man had something to do with Mom's death, the fact that he had done some other bad things, especially after being elected to the House of Representatives, made Mags and I understand why Dad has some disdain towards the congressman.

The fact that he sponsored a bill that was supposed to weaken those so-called "Business-killing" environmental regulations, as well as making sure individuals can't install powerful solar panels.

The man was also known for his disdain towards the scientific consensus on climate change, a consensus which I believe is supposed to be common sense. No doubt that his company is bound to lose a lot with all those environmental regulations, which I understood as the reason why he held that view.

Also, the man had sponsored a controversial education bill that, in the eyes of his political opponents, doesn't do anything to take care of the states negligence in the school system.

However, it's his disdain towards anyone with a lower social status than him that made Mags and I understand Dad's warning. I once saw the congressman on the street, telling a poor street beggar to get out of his way and called him a "useless, drug-addicting troll that deserved to be in prison."

That encounter made me really wonder how could someone who doesn't hold any respect towards the populence be able to even get elected in the first place. Oh, well. With all of that money, you sure can buy your way into politics.

Another reason why I ought to keep a safe distance from that congressman.

 **(Third Person)**

After finishing his breakfast, Maggie and Shaggy grabbed their school bags and headed for the front door.

"Have fun at school, kids." Sam said as he prepared to send them off to the school bus stop.

"Right, Dad." Maggie nodded.

"See you in the afternoon." Shaggy added before the siblings made their way out of the house.

* * *

Much of the school bus ride was uneventful as usual, and the Rogers siblings soon arrived at their high school: Hoyt Curtin High School, a high school known for its superb music program in all of Coolsville, in addition to other well-known extra-curriculum activities.

The siblings made their way to their lockers before splitting up for their first period classes.

Shaggy has chemistry and gymnasium in the morning, the latter being his most favourite class, while his sister has English and Algebra II.

Then, lunch period came and in the cafeteria, Shaggy was on his way to join his sister and several of their friends when he heard an angry "Hey!"

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

I took a deep breath and shrugged, hoping that angry-sounding "Hey!" wasn't directed towards me. But, as usual, I was wrong, because the next second, I felt a strong arm grabbing me by the shoulder and turning me around, leaving me face-to-face with the familiar-looking blonde-hair boy wearing a white shirt with blue stripes, a pair of light blue jeans and light brown shoes.

Frederick "Fred" Jones and his gang of jocks, including his best friend and bully Randolph "Red" Herring, who I bet was the one that made that angry-sounding "Hey!".

"What were you looking at, Rogers?" Fred hissed at me.

I rolled my eyes. I swear that jock was always looking for trouble in the form of me, maybe due to my hippie-like appearance. Oh well, I know how to deal with it.

"It's none of your business, Jones." I retorted.

"Oh, everything you look at is very much our business, Rogers." Red interjected.

"You don't happen to know why my friend Rhino appeared stoned last Friday before football practice, do you, Rogers?" Fred barked at me as if I was some sort of useless, no-good junk.

I shrugged and elected to play dumb, as I always do. No use fighting back, especially since I don't want that to tarnish the laid-back, stoner and hippie reputation I sought to build up. A reputation that Dad approved of as a way for me to protect myself and Maggie at school.

"Well, let me guess." I shrugged. "He got himself onto some of that pot and couldn't get through practice?"

Fred grabbed me by the collar and hissed. "You know bloody well that thing is hazardous to ones health! My father has plenty of brochures on what that stuff can do to your mind."

I rolled my eyes. Once again, he's telling me propaganda on the importance on the War on Drugs, a war, which in my opinion, is a costly disaster designed for those major pharma companies to keep their profits and rip us off.

Man. People like Fred should see what is going on in Europe, where some countries are legalizing the stuff and the positive results, especially with the decreasing crime rate. It makes me wonder why people continue to believe such unbelievable propaganda.

I shrugged in reply and Fred continued, "If I catch you getting close to those freshmen and getting them stoned again, Rogers, I'll see to it that you get yourself suspended and expelled from school. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear." I replied before the jock released his grip and pushed me towards the nearby table before he and his gang walked away.

I rubbed myself and simply carried on to join Maggie and the gang as if nothing just happened.

* * *

 **Poor Shaggy. He sure can't get a break, can't he.**

 **Well, before I go on, I want to note is that in this particular series, Shaggy is NOT going to be a stoner, nor is he going to be a slacker. He only acts as a slacker and a stoner to protect himself and his sister from those that are hostile towards them, but don't worry, in later chapters, he'll begin to reveal his true colours. There's also a reason this series is rated "T".**

 **Any thoughts on the introduction? Please read and review!**


	2. At the theater and the interview

Chapter 2: At the theater and the interview

 **(Fred's Point of View)**

I let go of Rogers and pushed him towards the nearby table behind him and watch him fall before the gang and I turned and walked away.

That stoner jerk is always looking for trouble at school, and I rarely see him with any friends.

Sure makes me wonder why a jerk like him doesn't bother skipping classes if he doesn't like to be in school. My bet is that he probably prefer staying in classes just so that he could continue to get other students stoned or something.

"That Rogers guy sure is one devil of a nincompoop, Freddie." Red said to me as we sat at our usual table for lunch.

"He sure is." I nodded. He never bothered fighting back whenever the gang and I went to him. I guess he doesn't want to get into trouble with the principal, and his skinny appearance sure makes me wonder how much of that stuff he consumes everyday.

Oh well, no time to think about that nincompoop. The gang and I got an important football meeting to attend, and Coach Welker will be frustrated if we're late for the meeting.

It didn't take long for us to reach the gym locker room where the other guys and the coach are waiting.

"Took you boys long enough." The coach said as we entered the locker room. "What was the holdup?"

"We just gave that hippie that got Rhino stoned a warning, Coach." Red replied. "Jones warned him not to get anywhere near freshmen and getting them stoned or risk getting suspended."

"I see." Welker nodded. "So anyways, you boys ready for tonight's preseason game against William Hanna High?"

I looked towards the team captain Peter Higgins, who nodded. "We sure are, coach!"

All of us nodded confidently. We spent almost every afternoon practice for the game, and we don't intend on letting that school make fools out of us.

 **(Third Person)**

After lunch, Shaggy was on his way back to his locker when his sister raced off to him.

"Why didn't you stand up for yourself, Norville?" She asked as she stopped him.

"What do you mean, Mags?" Shaggy asked.

"You know what I'm talking about, Norville." Maggie replied with her hands by her hips. "Why didn't you stand up to that jerk?"

"You know I'm not the type that likes to invite trouble, Mags." Shaggy folded his arms as he replied. "Besides, I don't want you to run afoul of his gang if I do fight back."

Maggie nodded and snorted but didn't reply, and Shaggy felt bad for coming up with such a terrible excuse for not standing up for himself.

Adding to his bad mood was that his final afternoon class, Grade 11 English, is shared with a certain brown-haired girl who he wished he didn't share any classes with.

Velma Dinkley, who's known for her bossy attitude and being quite the know-it-all.

While she never interacted with him in class, he find her sarcasm annoying, primarily when she answers a teacher or corrects the teacher during class, which makes him dread English class, as all of this question-asking in class and sarcasm annoys the stuffing out of him and makes him feel that the class is being dragged for too long and taking over the entire afternoon.

At least in Music class, he can relax more. His classmates respects him and the teacher is aware of his family situation, particularly the Rogers' history with the Blakes, which allowed him to act like himself more.

Very few people in school know this, but Shaggy is a very skilled guitarist and pianist. The teacher, Mr. Abbado, considers Shaggy as one of his best pianists and has him playing solo piano parts during practices and recordings of piano pieces and piano-based orchestral pieces, such as piano concertos.

Playing the piano and guitar also offered a way for Shaggy to relax and hide the pain he has to endure as part of him keeping up with his (rather) infamous reputation.

Of course, his playing of music isn't limited to classical music. He's a rock fan and also listens to (And plays) rock and pop music from since the 1950s. Among his favourite bands includes the Beatles, KISS and Simple Plan.

Anyways, it felt like that his favourite classes always doesn't last as long as he hoped. Next came English, which he dreaded a lot, expecting the class to become annoying and boring as usual.

* * *

Sure enough, English was a pain in the neck for him as Velma was, well, her usual self. Shaggy really can't help but wonder how did the teacher have the patience to deal with Velma's debating and questioning.

At least school was over, but the same can't be said for Shaggy's day.

After grabbing his belongings and backpack at his locker, Shaggy met up with Maggie.

"I'm off to the theater, Mags." He said.

"Okay." Maggie nodded. "Be careful and have fun, Norville."

Shaggy nodded before they split up, with Maggie heading straight to her part-time job at the public library in downtown Coolsville.

The Joseph Barbera Theater is located just a few blocks away from school, and Shaggy was able to get there in ten minutes.

Very few people in school know this as well, but Shaggy has been volunteering at the theater, where he was trained in various acting techniques, helped out in various theater productions and did some voice acting practice under the guidance of Cameron Kasem, a famous DJ, radio host, theatre and movie producer and voice actor who is also known for his liberal political views. (As a matter a fact, the famous DJ sounded almost just like Shaggy)

Like Sam, the famous DJ is a vocal critic of Congressman Barty Blake and has been volunteering in Blake's main opponent's election campaign.

Among Kasem's criticisms of Blake includes the Congressman's denial of climate change, disdain towards actions on environmental protection, Blake Industries' environmental records and its treatment of its labour force and the local people living near his company's establishments, particularly in developing countries overseas.

Kasem was also acquainted with the Rogers. Prior to becoming an actor, he served in the Army with Sam, specifically in the military police, and their company went on a tour in the Gulf during the 1991 war. A war that contributed to the solidification of his liberal political position and growing disdain towards the government, especially on its environmental and foreign policies.

Kasem nodded as he saw Shaggy arriving at the theater.

"Good afternoon, Shaggy." He said. "Just to let you know, the newspaper is sending a reporter to interview us later at four as we prepare for our upcoming first screening of our production of _The Dog Ranger Strikes!_ at the Leonard Weinrib Memorial Park this weekend."

"I see, Mr. Kasem." Shaggy nodded. "Which paper is interviewing us?"

"The Coolsville Gazette." Kasem replied. "And if you don't feel comfortable, I can leave your name out of the paper. You know, to help you keep up with your reputation cover."

"I know." Shaggy said. "It's just that...well...I'm getting really tired about have to keep up with this laid-back, slacker and stoner reputation. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Kasem, I enjoy acting and doing what I do, but I really wish I can express my true self freely."

"I understand." Mr. Kasem nodded understandingly. "It's just that since your mother's murder, your father has been anxious about you and your sister's safeties and will do anything for you two to stay safe and okay."

Shaggy nodded as Kasem placed a hand on his shoulder.

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

Time sure went by fast. Before you know it, it was time for the interview with the Coolsville Gazette.

During this time, I spoke to Mr. Kasem and we decided that I can be photographed on the condition that I'm not named (Being referred to simply as his assistant) and my face doesn't get shown in the photos.

Anyways, it was four o'clock when we saw an attractive-looking redhead wearing a white dress shirt, a green tie that matches the colour green of my own shirt, a purple dress coat, a black skirt and wearing a purple hairband and shoes arriving at the theater.

In addition, I thought I noticed a logo for some prestigious private school on her dress coat. Must be one of those students from wealthy families attending one of those prestigious private schools in town.

 _Wait a minute_ , I thought to myself as she approached Mr. Kasem. _That girl looks familiar...It's like I've seen her before_.

"Mr. Cameron Kasem?" The girl asked. She was holding a notepad, one Dad knows that reporters often use, yet she looks...young, maybe in my age group. How is it that the newspaper is hiring people who haven't even graduated from high school?

As I wonder about that last thought, Mr. Kasem nodded. "And you are?"

"Daphne Anne Blake. I'm from the _Coolsville Gazette_." The girl introduced herself and at that moment, I realized why I recognized her.

She's Congressman Barty Blake's youngest daughter.

"I assuming that you're interning at the paper, right?" Kasem asked as he shook Daphne's offered hand, noting the girl's young age.

"That's right." Daphne nodded. "I'm a junior at the Dudley Taft Academy, and my father is..."

"Congressman Barty Blake." I finished. "I've noticed the resemblance, Miss Blake."

I kind of wished that I have kept my mouth shut, because the redhead turned her attention towards me and shot me a glare.

"I wasn't speaking to you, you hippie." She said crossly. "And I'm sure Mr. Kasem will appreciate that you get out of here before you get his people stoned!"

I folded my arms as she made the remark. Once again, I was viewed as a drug dealer. The type of people her father really despises.

Not surprised by the way she's speaking to me. Like father, like daughter.

"He's working with me, Miss Blake." Kasem quickly said, coming to me defense. "Now, are you going to do the interview or not?"

Daphne stopped what she was doing and paused before turning her attention back to him and nodded as she took out her pencil and notepad.

* * *

After finishing with the interview, Daphne packed up her belongings and before she left, she took another look at me.

"I see why you took that hippie in, Mr. Kasem." She said. "You're trying to prove that Leonard Jackson can help solve the state's problems if he were to be elected to the House of Representatives and replace my father by bringing in this loser."

Leonard Jackson is her father's main political opponent who is running to represent Coolsville's congressional district in the House of Representatives and replace Barty Blake.

Dad was acquainted with Mr. Jackson. Prior to his current efforts in running for the House of Representatives, he was the city's district attorney (And before that, a civil rights attorney) who made cleaning up corruption in the city a top priority, a goal also shared by Dad before Mom's untimely demise.

I understand why Mr. Kasem will support the man for his campaign to be elected to the House of Representatives. From what I've read in the newspaper and what Dad told me, he's accomplished a lot while in office, relentlessly prosecuting crooked City Hall officials and crooked police officers with good results, even if they were hampered by the corrupt establishment at City Hall and Dad's workplace. Even with all those death threats against him, he remains defiant and I sure admire his courage and integrity.

He also campaigned on the promise in making the state government introduce tougher environmental protection laws, as well as making the state follow Europe and Colorado's lead in decriminalizing certain illegal drugs that I know are far more beneficial than the legal mainstream drugs produced by those big pharmaceutical corporations.

The main thing is, he's a man of integrity. Just like the junior Democrat Senator representing Vermont in the Senate in Washington.

She then huffed as she made her way out of the theater as she continued, "Well, I tell you what. No way will that work out well. He's bound to be crooked, just like anyone of his kind. You're making a mistake if you think he can be rehabilitated."

Mr. Kasem sighed as we watched the redhead leave the theater. At least she didn't recognized me as a member of the Rogers clan, nor was my name ever mentioned during the interview.

"Well, that sure was some interview." Mr. Kasem said to me with his arms folded.

I shrugged. "Well, she's a Blake, Mr. Kasem. It shouldn't be much of a surprise for her to act the way she did when she saw me."

In fact, I won't be surprised if that redhead is a spoiled Daddy's girl.

Mr. Kasem nodded, and I can guess that he's glad that all those acting lessons allowed me to simply just move on after insults like that.

* * *

 **Daphne sure is rude and spoiled in this first encounter with Shaggy, and don't worry folks! The next chapter will bring in the main mystery of the story that will bring these four vastly different kids together, along with Scooby.**

 **Stay tuned, and please read and review!**


	3. A new partner

Chapter 3: A night at the station and a new partner

 **(Daphne's Point of View)**

I huffed as I left the Joseph Barbera Theater after finishing the interview with that liberal Cameron Kasem, who apparently had a drug addict under his wing.

That old man sure is a fool to have a guy like that hippie under his care if he thinks he can rehabilitate him and get him off drugs. Daddy said that those type of people never reform and should be treated in a way that will prevent them from harming society.

Even before the interview, I knew that man is supporting that jerk Leonard Jackson's bid to be elected to the House of Representatives and replace Dad as the Congressman representing Coolsville's congressional district.

I really have no darn idea why are there people supporting decriminalization of drugs? Don't they realize how dangerous that stuff could be and the devastation they cause?

Also, why should we tighten environmental protection in the state? The state governor has already introduced a tight cap on carbon emissions four years ago. Any further tightening of environmental protection laws are bound to hurt our businesses, especially Dad's business.

I sure will never forget the time Dad was in his home office having a heated phone call with the governor, who he refer to as "The Governator" due to the **governor** 's further climate action will for sure lead to the **termination** of his business.

Oh, well. Not much time for me to talk, as I've got to get back to work and finish the article before the deadline.

 **(Third Person)**

It has been a stressful day as usual for Lieutenant Sam Rogers.

One thing he didn't mention to his kids that morning was that there were a string of disappearances at the hiking trails in the Leonard Weinrib Memorial Park, a case he was assigned to.

As a matter a fact, there has been unconfirmed reports of sightings of a werewolf lurking in the park's hiking trails, and he remembered that his wife Wendy's distant Austrian ancestor was cursed with a werewolf curse centuries ago.

Adding to the mystery was that Wendy's family manor, the Amon Manor, was located near Weinrib Park. A manor Wendy grew up at. That is, until her parents were brutally murdered by a werewolf-like figure. The fact that the murders were never solved, in addition to unconfirmed reported sightings of a werewolf in the park since the murders, lead to belief that the manor is cursed.

Cursed with a werewolf curse just like the one that cursed Wendy's distant Austrian ancestors.

Well, other than the chilling murder and rumours of a werewolf curse associated with the Amon Manor or Weinrib Park, the area has been quiet until recently when young girls in their mid-teens started disappearing.

That morning, one sixteen-year-old girl was grabbed from her bedroom in her house located near the park. Some fur and a claw was found in her bedroom when investigators sealed the scene. Clues that were also found in scenes of earlier disappearances and further fuels the legend of the werewolf haunting Weinrib Park.

That evening, Sam was still seated at his desk, clearly exhausted by the day while voices echoed through the office that made up the precinct he's working at.

"Any results on the claw and furs from the lab?" One of the detectives asked.

"The lab is still analyzing them." Another replied. "It could take a couple of days for the results to come in."

"A couple of days?!" The first detective asked. "We don't have a couple of days to do that blasted analysis! Who's going to be next during these couple of days? Who, who, who?"

"You don't need to act like an owl, Don." The second detective said.

As Sam took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in frustration, a familiar-voice shouted, "Hey Dad!"

Sam turned and looked. It was his daughter Maggie, who was holding what appeared to be a lunch bag. "Busy night, huh?"

"Maggie?" Sam faced his daughter as she approached him. "How many times do I have to tell you, not to come to station after dark on a school night?"

"Sorry, Dad." Maggie replied as she handed the lunch bag and added, "You forgot your dinner."

"I wasn't hungry."

"It's lasagna, made using Mom's recipe."

Sam was silent after the last remark as he watched his daughter place the lunch box on his desk.

"I'll drive you home." Sam then said to his daughter, but before she could reply, someone called him.

"Lieutenant!" One of the detectives stationed near the captains office shouted. "The captain wants to see you, **now**."

"Don't worry about it." Maggie said to her father. "I can take the bus home."

"No, you're not." Sam said sternly. "I'm-"

"I can handle myself, Dad." Maggie cut in. "I promise. I grew up in Coolsville."

Sam sighed before raising a finger and said to Maggie sternly. "This is the **last** time you come here, Maggie. Do you understand?"

"Sure, Dad." Maggie nodded as her father leaned over to kiss her in the forehead.

After his daughter left, Sam got up from his seat, put on his suit jacket, left his office and walked over to the office of Captain Bronson Stone, the stations commanding officer whose office is located next to that of the patrol captains.

He was expecting the man to be in his usual grumpy mood, especially with the morning's latest disappearance.

Instead, Stone looked animated as Sam arrived in his office.

The captain had blackish-brown hair with a brown mustache and appeared to be a little overweight. No doubt spending all day in his office doing paperwork, handle documents and taking the elevator to get to command staff meetings sure made him getting fatter.

"What's up, Captain?" He asked his commanding officer.

"Lieutenant, I am aware that you've been working too hard in investigating those disappearances alone without a partner." Stone said. "I want to let you know that I'll be partnering you with a transfer from Honolulu."

He then gestured towards a young, cheerful-looking man that appeared to be of East Asian descent and dressed in a suit.

"Lieutenant, meet your new partner Detective Sergeant Charles 'Charlie' Chan." Stone said, introducing the new transfer.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sergeant Chan." Sam said as he offered his hand to Charlie.

"Likewise, Lieutenant." Chan nodded as he shook Sam's offered hand, and the lieutenant thought he can detect a Cantonese accent in his voice.

"Sergeant Chan has been a veteran in homicide investigation in the Honolulu Police Department for twelve years, and I'm sure his fresh view of homicide work will be beneficial in your on-going investigation in the disappearances near Weinrib Park, Lieutenant." Stone said.

Sam nodded before Charlie said, "That's right. I was born and grew up in Hong Kong and then my family moved to Honolulu when I was a teenager, where I later joined the Honolulu Police Department. As the captain said, I spent twelve years working homicide in a place with all of the beautiful beaches, paradise and beautiful girls."

Sam was silent before remarking, "Who in their right mind will want to transfer to a h*llhole like Coolsville?"

"I figured that I was getting bored with my life at Honolulu, and seeing that Coolsville is in serious need for homicide detectives, I grabbed my chance for a challenge and made the transfer, Lieutenant." Chan replied. "Well, that is, after the slot for Gotham, the most dangerous city in the country, was taken by a former host of _Hollywood Detectives._ But anyways, one major case I sure hope to get my hands on and solve is the murders of businessman Radley Crown and his wife Rebecca Crown."

Radley Crown was a highly-respected businessman known for his liberal political views and has run to be mayor against James Iverson several years ago. However, he and his wife were killed in the closing weeks of campaigning in what was believed to be a mugging, although there were suspicions that Iverson, who's now the mayor and has poised to become the longest-serving mayor in Coolsville's history, has arranged the fatal mugging to eliminate his political enemies.

"Huh." Sam responded as they left the captain's office.

A short time later, Chan went to Sam's office after setting up his cubicle.

"So what was the Weinrib Park disappearances the captain was talking about, Lieutenant?" Chan asked.

Sam turned to his new partner and sighed.

"Over the past few days, we've been getting missing persons reports, Charlie." Sam replied. "A dozen girls in their teens disappearing near Weinrib Park during this time frame."

"I see." Chan nodded. "And it's safe to say that the girls shared similar physical traits or appearances if those disappearances are concentrated in that particular area near the park, right?"

"That's right." Sam said. "All of them appeared to have long hair, with colours ranging from blonde to dusty brown to orange-red and shared similar facial features."

Chan nodded thoughtfully. "Any ideas on who may be responsible for this?"

Sam shook his head. "Not at the moment."

Before he could divulge any further, his desk phone rang, prompting him to answer it.

"Hello?" Sam asked as he answered the phone.

"Good day, Lieutenant Rogers." A man's voice replied on the other end. A voice he instantly recognized as District Attorney Jefferson "Skip" Jones, who was Leonard Jackson's successor as DA and like his predecessor, was a hard campaigner for rooting out corruption in Coolsville, although unlike Jackson, Skip was more to the right of the political spectrum (But not to the point of Barty being further to the right) than Jackson being in the centre left.

"Ah, District Attorney Jones." Sam said. "How are things over at the DA's office?"

"Same old, same old, Lieutenant." Skip said. "The usual stuff. Listen, how's your ongoing investigation in the string of disappearances near Weinrib Park?"

"Not well." Sam shook his head. "Other than that werewolf legend associated with the park, which I suppose you're aware that is total garbage, there has been no witnesses to anything suspicious and...you know how bad and useless the department is in investigating these sorts of cases."

Sam was telling the truth as he made the remark. The Coolsville Police Department has a hideous reputation for its continued usage of aging, out of date equipment, being understaffed and a breeding ground for corruption.

Adding to the woes is the departments bureaucratic mismanagement and tangled-up bureaucracy meant that it has become useless in fighting and solving crimes, hence the reason why the city's crime rate has climbed to an all-time high in recent years while the clearance rate for serious crimes like murders plunged to an all-time low.

"I understand what you mean, Sam." The district attorney nodded and frowned at the other end of the line. "Maybe it will help if I can get some help in the investigations."

"What do you have in mind, Skip?" Sam asked.

"My son has done some sleuthing before, and I'll ask him to help out with the investigations." Skip replied. "As a matter a fact, he enjoys reading mystery and crime novels and has an interest in the city's supernatural legends. He could be a great help to this."

"I see." Sam nodded. "Make sure, though, that he stays out of trouble. I don't want him to get hurt the way my wife..."

"Paid the price, yes, I know." Skip replied before Sam could finish. "Listen, Lieutenant. I understand that you fear that your son and daughter will be harmed if you continued your relentless pursuit of the truth and reform, but this overprotecting stuff won't do you much good."

Sam was silent as the district attorney made the remark. He wasn't sure how to respond at the moment.

"Sam, are you still there?" Skip asked when he didn't hear back from the lieutenant.

"Oh, yes I am." Sam replied. "Let me know when you find something. I've got something to attend to."

"Sure. Talk to you later." Skip nodded before hanging up.

"So what's the phone call about?" Chan asked as soon as Sam hung up.

Sam pondered for a moment before telling his partner. "Let's go out for a ride so I can show you around, Charlie. I'll explain along the way."

"Sure thing, Lieutenant." Charlie nodded before they got up and left the office.

* * *

 **Please read and review!**


	4. A mugging and a protest

**Author's note: There's been a slight update to Chapter 3.**

* * *

Chapter 4: A mugging, protests and dirty politics

Soon, Sam was driving his new partner in the evening streets of Coolsville.

"So what were you discussing with the district attorney, Lieutenant?" Chan asked as Sam drove their assigned car.

"We're just discussing the case, but just a bit of warning to you, Charles." Sam spoke. "Policing in this city can be rough and get extremely tough."

"I know that." Chan nodded. "Or Coolsville wouldn't be the _second most_ dangerous city in the country."

"Yes, I am aware of that." Sam said. "As a matter a fact, I've got a friend serving with the Gotham City Police Department and he told me that their police department is just...what's the word for it...useless. Tied up in layers of bureaucracy and mired in corruption and still using out of date equipment to fight crime."

As Sam was speaking, they came to a stop at a red light, during which Chan noticed something at the nearby dark alleyway from Sam's side of the car.

"Oh, look." He said, pointing at what appeared to be a mugging in progress. "First night in Coolsville and we're about to get our first bit of action."

What Chan saw was a muscular-looking man with tattoos holding a knife by a woman's neck and demanding something.

"Either you pay, or you get hurt!" The man said to the woman.

"We can't stop." Sam said, completely obvious to the situation Chan was referring to in the nearby dark alleyway. "I forgot to mention that I was running late for something."

"Late for what?" Chan asked, a tone of disbelief in his voice.

"I've got a security meeting to attend." Sam replied. "It's about providing security detail for Congressman Barty Blake, who's up for reelection and has received plenty of death threats, and the mayor and the police chief are also going to be there."

"There's a crime in progress, Lieutenant."

"It's not our business, Chan."

"What?! Not our business?!"

Chan's tone of disbelief became more pronounced as he made the last remark. He couldn't believe that being late for a meeting concerning some politician will be more important than stopping a random street crime.

It was then that the light turned green, and Sam pressed on the gas.

"Stop!" Chan shouted. "Stop the bloody car!"

Before Sam could comply, Chan opened the door and got off.

"Chan!" Sam shouted as he was forced to hit the brakes while Chan marched over to the dark alleyway.

"This is your last warning." The man said. "Since you can't pay, you should give me your purse. Either that, or I hurt you bad."

"S-s-stop..." The woman protested weakly.

Just then, the two heard someone shouting, "Hey!"

The man turned and saw Chan walking towards them, one hand holding his badge while the other reaches into his trench coat for his service weapon.

"Coolsville Police." Chan shouted at the man. "Put your hands in the air!"

The man turned towards Chan and made a fist while his other hand gripped the knife.

"Stupid move." He said as he tried to punch Chan, who ducked.

"Look who's talking." Chan retorted as he countered with a punch in the man's stomach, causing him to drop the knife in pain.

"That wasn't very wise, bud." The junior detective then said as he pressed the man against the nearby wall, preparing to handcuff him.

During this time, the woman took the opportunity to run off.

Catching a glimpse of the woman running off, Chan shouted, "Where are you going?! I need a statement from you!"

The woman ignored him as she carried on, causing Chan to exclaim. "I just saved your butt-"

"Chan!" Sam shouted as he approached the struggling man and Chan.

"Help me cuff this jerk." Chan said to him.

"Let him go."

"What?!"

"I said, let him go!" Sam shouted as he tugged his partner's trenchcoat.

"Are you kidding me?" Chan exclaimed as he released the man before gesturing towards him and added. "Is this arsehole undercover? An informant?"

The man laughed as he adjusted his coat.

"I'm very sorry, Pistol." Sam said to him. "My partner's new to Coolsville."

"Obviously." Pistol snorted. "You'd better teach him the rules quick before another accident happens."

Sam was silent and didn't reply.

"What that idiot owed me is coming from you, Rogers." Pistol continued as he walked away. "And you better start learning the **rules** of Coolsville, newbie, or we'll see who's **really** stupid."

As they watched Pistol walk away, Chan turned to the lieutenant and asked, "What the devil was that?"

"Just get in the car, Chan." Sam replied calmly.

"Is that jerk greasing you?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm not **blind** , Sam."

At that point, Sam lost his temper and he turned to his partner angrily.

"Don't even think about lecturing me about some useless **moral** in crime doesn't pay as if you've come to Coolsville for any other reason than **a challenge for yourself** , Chan." Sam said crossly. "As soon as you hit the same wall everyone has hit in trying to solve the murder of the Crowns, you'll be on the first flight back to Honolulu, and I'll buy the tickets!"

Chan was stunned silent by his partner's outburst and didn't respond.

Then, Sam cooled down as he returned to their car and added, "Don't judge me, Chan. You don't know me that well."

After what seemed like hours, Chan followed him to the car and they continued the drive in silence.

* * *

Meanwhile, over at Coolsville City Hall, Congressman Barty Blake, accompanied by Mayor James Iverson and Chief of Police Rupert Gosnell, was making a campaign speech at the front of the building, in front of dozens of reporters and supporters for a campaign rally.

"I want to assure all of Coolsville that if re-elected as your congressman, I'll be sure to make security a top priority for the governments agenda." Blake spoke. "I'll ask the government to allocate more funds and resources into our law enforcement agencies to combat crime. After all, with the city approaching its centennial celebrations next year, we want the city to look good for our visitors!"

There was some cheers from the crowd, but the cheers were short-lived when a passerby shouted. "Barty Blake is nothing other than a money-hungry scumbag!"

"Yeah!" Another passerby shouted and as everyone turned and looked, they saw anti-Blake protesters gathering in crowds, holding signs such as "Save the Environment!", "Tax the One Percent!", "Stop Barty Blake!", "We Want Better Education!", "Justice for Radley Crown!" and "We Want Jobs!"

One of Blakes supporters yelled at the protesters in response, "Get the h*ll out of here! Socialists are not welcome here!"

"Says the one percent!" Another anti-Blake protester retorted. "Capitalism and climate change denial are ruining the planet!"

The scene was peaceful, but then the sparks started to fly and the police was forced to move in to maintain order.

Barty was quickly escorted to his car by his security detail while the protesters tried to get a spat on him with no results.

The man soon was back in his campaign headquarters, and he was clearly frustrated by the way things turned out in the latest campaign rally.

"Well, that sure went well." Barty said sarcastically as he greeted his campaign manager, a young lady named Alice Dovely.

"Jackson's supporters again, sir?" Dovely asked.

"You said it." Barty spat. "I swear that socialist is spreading filth and gossip about me everyday and fueling those protests."

"Relax, sir." Dovely said to the congressman. "The election's still weeks away."

"Relax and do nothing?!" Barty boomed. "Time is money, and if I don't do anything during this four-week time period, that communist will be able to trash me in the mid-term elections!"

Blake was right about the need for him to do something during the four-week period leading up to the midterm elections, given the fact that he's been trailing badly in the polls lately.

"Don't worry, sir." Dovely quickly said. "The team is compiling a list of records related to Jackson from our sources and are working around the clock to find something scandalous that will sure ruin the man's bid to replace you on Capitol Hill."

"Excellant." Barty nodded before noting the time and added, "I'd better head home now. My wife and daughters are getting worried."

* * *

Meanwhile, Iverson was in his office gathering some files after the fiasco at Blake's campaign.

"That blasted socialist is stirring things up in Coolsville again!" He slammed his fist on his desk as his aides looked on. "Barty's going to have a difficult time if we don't take care of Jackson, and that blasted DA Jones is still on my back sniffing around and meddling!"

"What do you think we should do, sir?" One of his aides asked. "Those two men are getting dangerously close to our truth, and you know how disastrous the fallout can be for us and Congressman Blake if it gets exposed and leaked to the public."

"Of course I know." Iverson snapped before calming down and added, "Unfortunately, I'm not sure what we should do in the next step at the moment, although you should have the Werewolf ready to do a job for us when he's needed."

The mayor then reached for the office phone and dialed Judge Cindy Thomas' number.

The judge was appointed to the bench by the governor a couple of years back. Prior to that, she worked as an attorney for Blake Enterprises and is considered to be one of the most conservative judges in the state.

Jackson had criticized the appointment as being a conflict in interest, as Cindy's previous work for Barty allows her to aid Barty in promoting his agenda of weakening environmental regulations and tough on much-needed business regulations.

When the corrupt judge answered, Iverson got down to business immediately.

"You didn't take care of that meddling DA and get him off my back as you promised, Judge Thomas." Iverson hissed as he speak.

After listening to a few words, the mayor continued, "I don't want any bloody excuses! I thought your previous work as a Blake Enterprises attorney taught you due diligence and not coming up with excuses, Judge! Do what I ask, or your youngest daughter will be next."

After a pause, he then said, "I'll tell your oldest that you said hi."

He then hung up the phone as two of his aides entered with Judge Thomas' eldest daughter.

"Your mother said hi." He said to the teenage girl, who was clearly crying before being escorted into his office.

As he touched her hair, he added, "The Werewolf will sure love you."

He then ordered his aides, "Tell him to be quick with the one he grabbed this morning."

The two men nodded as they dragged the struggling girl out of his office.

Around that same time, another one of his aides bursted into the office.

"Sir, we've got a big problem." The aide said to Iverson.

"What's the matter?" Iverson turned to him.

"The FBI's been sniffing around lately and they seem to have turned Francis." The aide replied.

"Oh, d*mn the bureau!" Iverson slammed his fist on the desk angrily. "They've been causing me a lot of headaches lately, if it isn't that DA Jones and Jackson."

"I know, sir." The aide nodded. "If Francis talks, the consequences could be disastrous for us. The whole gig will be in-"

"Yes, I know that." Iverson snapped. Then, taking a deep breath, he added. "Tell that Werewolf to be quick so he can take care of Francis."

"Right, sir." The aide nodded as he left the office.

* * *

Meanwhile, at an unknown location, the girl that went missing woke up as she found herself tied up to a chair in a dark room.

Panic soon filled her mind as she looked around.

"Where am I?" She wondered. "And why am I here?"

It was then that she heard a door opening, alerting her to someone.

"Who's there?" She asked.

She looked towards the nearby stairs leading to the only door and saw a pair of glowing-red eyes walking towards her.

"Good to see you again, Jamie." The figure said to her.

"M-m-my name isn't Jamie." The girl said nervously.

As she watched the figure approach her under the moonlight, she saw that its legs looked like...a wolf.

"Please..." She pleaded as the wolf-like figure approached her. "Let me go...I want to go home."

"Sorry, Jamie." The figure revealed himself to be a half-man, half-wolf person with a sinister-looking smile on his horrendous-looking face. "It's just going to be you and me."

The wolfman then raised his hand, revealing sharp claws and closed in on the girl, who blurted out, "I told...you...my name isn't...Jamie..."

Those words were the girl's last words, as a moment later, a muted scream can be heard from an abandoned manor located in an isolated area of Coolsville.

* * *

 **Oh dear. Looks like the fabled werewolf has claimed another victim.**

 **What will happen next? And how will Mystery Inc. come together?**

 **Stay tuned, and please read and review!**


	5. Forming a team

Chapter 5: Forming a team

 _October 7, 2010_

 **(Fred's Point of View)**

I swear that blasted alarm clock was always resetting itself every day so that it can ring earlier than the day before and wake me up.

Well, not that I minded waking up early. As a football player, I'm accustomed to waking up at 6:30 early in the morning, so that I can go out jogging and workout to build up my muscles.

As I prepare to go through my usual routine, a gruff-sounding voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Frederick!" The voice shouted, and I immediately figured out who that was. Only a few people refer to me through my full real name of Frederick, and no one's voice is as gruff as my fathers.

"Yes, Dad?" I asked as my father approached my room and pushed the door open. "What can I do for you?"

"You remember the case of the werewolf lurking around the Leonard Weinrib Park in recent days?" Dad asked me as he entered my room.

"The Weinrib Trails Werewolf Case?" I asked. "Yes, I do. What of it?"

I used to hike along the trail in the Leonard Weinrib Park and jog during my morning workout routine, but I haven't gone there ever since a string of teenage girls started disappearing in recent days.

"That werewolf has claimed another victim early this morning." Dad responded. "A girl named Alice May."

"Dang." I remarked. "Have the cops have any clue who did it or what that werewolf is up to?"

"No." Dad shook his head. "My police contact told me about the lack of progress and you know how useless the police department is in investigating these sort of crimes."

I nodded. There's a reason why our city is ranked as the second most dangerous city in the country, second only to Gotham City.

"And that's not all." Dad continued. "The DA's office is tied up in several court cases with a major trial coming up next Monday and I can't ask any of my investigators to do the sleuthing, son. And since you have a passion on reading mystery novels, I was wondering if you will like to check this case out?"

I was a little surprised when Dad made the remark. He usually discourages me from doing sleuthing, warning me how dangerous it can be.

I guess he needed the help in the werewolf case, since he's got a heavy workload coming up with this year being an election year and I know that congressman and His Freakin' Lordship Iverson will be using the opportunity to embarrass Dad, who's up for re-election as the county's DA.

I decided to nod.

"Sure thing, Dad." I replied. "One thing is that I'm going to need to assemble my own team of investigators for this, though."

"Who do you have in mind?" Dad asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The first guy I'm considering is Velma."

"You mean Velma Dinkley, the girl in your chemistry class who always interrupts the teacher and tries to correct him on the subject he's teaching?"

"That's right, plus she's an excellent computer programmer, Dad."

"Why her?"

"Because I'm going to need someone who's strong in science in analyzing any clues that are left behind at the scenes, plus with her strong belief in science, she'll definitely be interested in trying to debunk all those supernatural legends that haunts our city, Dad. You actually said it yourself. There's no such thing as ghost."

Dad nodded proudly at my reply before saying, "Well, is there anyone else you're considering?"

"There's a gal from the newspaper who has interviewed me a handful of times in relation to football games." I answered. "She has a desire to go into investigative journalism, so she can help in piecing the clues together and make the break of her journalism career."

"I see." Dad nodded understandingly. "Now, before you go ahead and assemble your team, son, one thing I will like you to note is that this Saturday, there's an advanced screening of a brand new _Dog Ranger_ movie to be held at the Park."

"Where the werewolf is reported to be haunting." I said.

"Right. There's a potential for a werewolf to be sighted during that day, so you and your team will have a great opportunity to investigate this without risking getting yourselves into trouble with the police while trying to investigate a crime scene." Dad replied.

I nodded as I started considering my options on how to assemble my team.

* * *

I ran into Velma after we finished chemistry class, right at lunch period. She looked like she was busy scribbling down notes at her table and I noticed that she hasn't touched her lunch.

"You not hungry?" I said to her as a way of greeting.

The girl paused her note-taking and looked up. I swear those lenses on her glasses are thick enough to burn ants.

"Not really." She replied. "What do you want, Freddie?"

I suppose she was expecting me to be mad at her over what she had said about me yesterday. Well, not that I minded, actually. I kinda find her tough-talking personality quite cute, and I do find her sarcasm interesting as well.

One thing to note was that Velma and I have know each other for a while, since, well...elementary school, even though we rarely talk to each other. Her mother Angie was a math professor and was acquainted with Mom in university, who shared an office with her.

"I need your help on a project." I explained to her hesitatingly. "A capture of a monster, to be exact."

"What?" Velma exclaimed in surprise. I'm sure she wasn't expecting me to ask for help from her.

"Yes." I nodded. "I know this sounds ridiculous, and I am aware that you're very skeptical on the legitimacy of those supernatural legends haunting the city, but I need someone smart enough who could prove exactly it."

Velma completely paused from her note-taking as she digests the information.

"Are you talking about that werewolf haunting near the Lennie Weinrib Park, Freddie?" She asked me. "Because I hate to waste my time working on an activity that pretends such mystic creatures actually exist, so you can count me out."

She then resumed her note taking, only for me to reach out my hand to block her eyesight.

As she looked up at me with a hint of annoyance, I said, "Well, I'm sure you'll like to take the chance of changing your own dull life, a chance investigating this werewolf provides. And besides, if you decide to try to prove that there are no such thing as werewolves or to prove me wrong, then wouldn't you be sharing a common, attainable goal with me?"

Velma paused and her lips formed a straight line as she considers my remark. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she nodded.

"Fine." She said. "So what's our first step?"

"For now, our first step is to form a team." I replied as I took a seat across the table from her. "There's someone else I've been considering. She's an intern at the _Coolsville Gazette_ who has interviewed me a few times before, and she has always mentioned her desire to get her hands into investigative journalism."

Velma nodded as I continued. "After we form a team, our next step is to meet at the Lennie Weinrib Park this Saturday. There's-"

"-a movie screening taking place at where the werewolf is said to be haunting, yes, I read about it in the papers." Velma finished my sentence. "So we'll meet there and try to get our shot in checking out that werewolf. What do you suppose we can find?"

"Clues." I shrugged. "I mean, with many people in attendance for the screening, including young girls fitting the profile of the Werewolf's alleged victims, there's no way that monster will not appear."

Velma nodded. "Very well, then. I happened to be free on Saturdays, so where will you want to meet in the park?"

I paused my lips before replying. "You know the abandoned Amon Manor near the park?"

Velma nodded again, and I kinda felt guilty about having her nodding her neck off.

"We can meet in front of that manor." I said.

"Sure. How does one o'clock sound to you?"

"Perfect." I smiled.

* * *

I left Velma to her note-taking and eating and as I made my way to find the gang, I saw Rogers seated with his girlfriend.

At that moment, I realized that I forgot to take that stoner into account for my team to help Dad work out the werewolf case.

Apparently, I need someone like that jerk who can remain cool and calm while under pressure and has experience doing that sort of shady stuff.

As I walk towards him, he and his girlfriend got up from their seats and as he turned and saw me, he did a double take.

"Rogers!" I shouted at him. "I need to speak to you!"

I think he may be believing that I want to speak to him about Rhino again, because he and his girlfriend didn't stop as they hurried their way to the cafeteria door.

"Wait!" I shouted, trying to stop them. "It's not about that stuff, Rogers! It's something else important!"

"No time to talk, Jones." He replied. "My sister and I got a doctor's appointment and we're running late. We can discuss this another day!"

Oh. I had it wrong. That girl isn't his girlfriend. She's his sister. How come I never noticed the resemblance before?

Before I could think of something, the Rogers' were already gone.

* * *

That afternoon, I was due for my meeting with Daphne from the _Coolsville Gazette_ after practice and a phone call to her.

She was late as usual. I guess with all of those deadlines she has to meet, it will be miracle if she can meet those deadlines and make it to the meeting in time.

Well, speaking of the devil, I just saw her crossing the street and she greeted me with a smile.

"Hi Fred." She said. She was still wearing her school uniform, which I thought matches her long red hair well.

"Hi Daphne." I replied. "Busy at the paper?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "So what can I do for you? You were insistent in explaining what you want from me in person instead of over the phone earlier."

"Sorry." I replied. "I honestly think that had I explained my request while over the phone, you would've think I'm crazy and hang up before I can finish."

"Well then." She rolled her eyes. "What can I do for you?"

 **(Daphne's Point of View)**

"So you know about my father, the district attorney?" Fred asked me.

"Of course." Like everyone at school, I know District Attorney Jones, who both Dad and the mayor quite despises.

"Right." He nodded. "Anyways, just yesterday, one girl vanished near the Lennie Weinrib Park, never to be seen again and then this morning another girl disappeared."

"Is this about that stupid legend of a werewolf haunting the area, Freddie?" I asked impatiently. "The paper has been buzzing about the news lately."

"Yes, so anyways, my question is, are you willing to help me figure out what's going on at the park?" Fred asked.

I was shocked when he asked me that question. Didn't his father have investigators to take care of cases like that?

"Excuse me?" I asked. "Are you asking me to help you find a werewolf in the Lennie Weinrib Park?"

Fred nodded. "I know this sounds crazy, but this provides a rare opportunity for me to help change other people's lives for the better. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss this opportunity, too."

I studied Fred's face as he made the last remark. I can see the excitement and desperation in his blue eyes. He really wanted to help others and change people's lives for the better.

"What makes you think I will help you?" I finally asked.

"Come on." He said. "You're interning at the city's largest paper, and you're mainly writing stories that get repeated in other papers. Besides, you're a Blake. Everyone in town knows that the Blakes are known for being high-achievers and besides, you get to grab your chance in doing some investigative journalism."

He had me there when he mentioned my desire to get a shot at investigative journalism. After thinking, I nodded.

"Alright. Count me in." I nodded, and his face lightened up.

"Perfect!" He smiled. He looked quite cute with his smile, and I had to suppress an urge to blush. "So we'll meet at the park at one o'clock this Saturday."

"Why then?" I asked. "Why not now?"

"Because I still need to assemble a team." He replied. "There's one guy I'm considering, but he left school before I could ask him this afternoon, and besides, this Saturday is the day where the screening of the latest _Dog Ranger_ movie is to take place in the Park, and with a lot of girls fitting the profile of the Werewolf's previous victims attending, there's no way that werewolf, or whatever it is, show up."

"Very well, then." I nodded. "So One o'clock at the front entrance to the Park?"

"Right." Fred nodded back.

* * *

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

 _October 8, 2010_

I managed to avoid Fred yesterday. Well, I was glad that Maggie and I got out when we did for the doctor's appointment, because I'm sure that jock will make us late by accusing me of getting another one of his friends stoned and hold us back.

It was lunchtime as I lined up for lunch at the cafeteria kitchen.

I kind of wished that I had brought my own lunch, because I saw Fred walking towards me as I waited in the long lineup to the kitchen.

"Hey Rogers!" He said to me.

Here we go again. Another one of his friends got drunk. He's going to blame me and get me suspended.

"What do you want?" I asked. "Don't tell me that another one of your friends got into trouble and I'm the one to blame."

"Actually, it's not that, Shag." He said, and I cringed at the way he referred to my nickname. "I actually have something going down tomorrow at the Lennie Weinrib Park, and I can use a guy like you on it."

I blinked. Did he say Lennie Weinrib Park?

"A-a guy like me?" I asked. "For what?"

"Someone who can do shady stuff and remain cool even while under pressure." He replied.

I was surprised. Fred's the type of guy that will never even think about doing shady stuff, especially with him being the son of the district attorney.

"What the devil are you doing at the park that may end up being shady?" I asked.

He smiled at me. "Monster hunting."

I folded my arms as I think to myself: What the devil was I getting myself into if I agree to join him?

"Are you talking about the werewolf that has grabbed dozens of teenage girls in the past few days?" I asked and decided to play it cool. No one in school, except for a few trusted teachers, knows that Dad is a police lieutenant and I don't want the knowledge of that to compromise the reputation I've worked so hard in building up. "Why not ask the cops to do that? Detective work's dangerous, you know."

"Because they're useless!" Fred replied. "My father is annoyed by the progress of the police investigation and he's got a major trial coming up, which means his investigators won't be available to work the case out. Besides, this case is a great opportunity for you to change your life for the better, Rogers, if you think about it."

I thought for a while. I know about the werewolf curse associated with Mom, and I am aware that Dad's still shaken up by her death and protective of me and Maggie as a result of it. Maybe this can be an opportunity for me to shelve that reputation and prove to Dad that I am capable of handling things by myself and take care of myself.

Without hesitation, I nodded.

"Very well, then. What time do you want to meet?" I asked.

"One o'clock in the afternoon, near the entrance to the Lennie Weinrib Park." Fred responded.

* * *

 **Please read and review!**


	6. At the park and the encounter

Chapter 6: At the park and the encounter

 _October 9, 2010_

 **(Third Person)**

It was a cool afternoon as Fred and Velma first met each other at the front of the park.

"So where are the other people you've invited to your team, Fred?" Velma asked as they met up.

"Late, I suppose." Fred shrugged. "At least the weather's not as bad as this morning."

"True." Velma nodded just as they heard a dog barking.

The two turned to look. Velma was surprised to see Shaggy, who had a Great Dane on a leash.

"Cool it, Scoob!" Shaggy commanded his dog as he gestured towards Fred and Velma. "They're okay!"

"What?" Velma turned to Fred. "Why did you bring that stoner on board, Fred?"

"Because, we need a guy like him who can do shady stuff and remain cool under pressure in our team for what we're going to do." Fred explained, but just then, Scooby did something neither of them were expecting.

"Rey!" Scooby barked at Velma. "No rone ralls Raggy re 'stoner'!"

Fred and Velma were shocked as they turned to each other.

"See what I'm talking about?" Velma asked. "We get too close to that stoner and now we're hallucinating!"

"Now, now, Velma." Fred calmed her down. "His dog must've gotten his paws on some of the stuff Rogers is selling."

Velma turned to Scooby and Shaggy, who had his arms folded but only snorted.

"Like, we're here, Fred." Shaggy spoke. "And in case you guys were wondering why I have my old buddy Scooby with me, it's because I don't really leave him at home alone other than during school days."

 **(Fred's Point of View)**

I raised an eyebrow as Rogers made that remark but I didn't say a word, as I was thinking about something.

Did he really brought his dog to do monster hunting?

"Well, I'm sure that with a dog, Freddie, we can have a better chance in finding whatever's lurking around the park." Velma said to me as if knowing my thoughts. "Since dogs have a great sense of smell."

"True." I nodded thoughtfully. I guess that guy is actually trying to be helpful and decided to bring Scooby along with the monster hunting.

"So shouldn't we get going?" Shaggy asked. "I thought you said that doing this can change our lives for the better, Fred."

I have to admit that I was kinda surprised by the way Shaggy remembered what exactly I said to him yesterday, because I read somewhere that those that are high on drugs have a tendency to be forgetful of stuff he saw or heard a day ago.

I didn't have time to make the thought, because I saw Daphne making her way to join us.

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

I tensed as he saw Daphne approaching. That spoiled girl is going to do what she did to me on Wednesday as soon she sets her eyes on me.

Scooby started growling as Daphne started frowning upon seeing me. No doubt that Dad trained him not to get too close to any Blake in town.

"So I see that stoner has joined us." Daphne said to Fred as soon as she joined us. "I'm not surprised. I guess he's got nothing better to do in life."

Velma didn't say anything, but Fred said, "At least we've got a dog to help us out, Daph."

"Oh, sure." Daphne snorted, and I can hear the sarcasm in her voice. "Getting a dog to do monster hunting with us is one bright idea."

"Can't we just get moving, Fred?" I said impatiently.

"Sure." Fred nodded. "Let's go, gang."

* * *

A short time later, we were at the hiking trails in the Weinrib Park. The place sure looks haunting to me. At least its not that hauntingly quiet, with the movie screening taking place not far away from the woods.

"So what do you suppose we should be looking for, Fred?" Daphne asked as we walked down the trail.

"A clue that may prove that werewolf's existence, I suppose." Fred shrugged.

"More like, clues that prove that werewolf is nothing other than a serial killer on the loose." Velma corrected him.

As we carried on down the hiking trail, Daphne saw what looked like doggie doo on the side.

"Shaggy, clean up after your mutt, okay?" She said to me, gesturing to the doggie doo on the ground as she spoke.

"Like, Scoob's not the type that will do that sort of thing." I calmly reply. "He always does his business before I take him out on a walk and he never takes a leak while outside."

"Just because your mutt doesn't do that outside doesn't mean he didn't leave that doggie doo on the ground." Daphne huffed. "Clean it up!"

"Well, then." I retorted. "Your Highness, if you're so insistent in asking me to clean up after Scoob, will you happen to have a plastic bag with you?"

"Reah, Miss Smarty Rants!" Scooby agreed, much to Daphne's shock.

"D-did your dog just talk?" She asked me. "Or is it just the hallucinations from your drugs?"

"Rey!" Scooby barked. "Ry Raggy rever takes drugs!"

"Calm down, Scoob." I was quick to stand in front of Scoob before he could get provoked into biting Daphne.

Turning to Daph, I said to her sternly. "You're lucky that Scoob's not the type who bites, Daphne Blake, so don't try to push his buttons or you'll have to deal with the fallout."

Daphne gave me a look as if she was saying, "Yeah, whatever. Just clean up, will you?"

I decided to ignore her but nonetheless decided to lean down on that doggie doo. However, I noticed that the nearby bush seemed lopsided.

"Well, what are you doing?" Daphne asked as she and the others watched me examining the bush in question. "Shouldn't take too long to clean up after your dog."

"Wait a minute!" I spoke as I look through the leaves and saw something. "Oh, zoinks! There's something here, guys!"

"What is it?" Fred asked as I heard him moving towards when I was kneeling.

"It looks like a footprint." I replied. "Well, more like a shoe print, but here it is."

I stood up and kept the leaves in the position I left them for the others to get a closer look at it.

"Holy cow, you're right, Shag." Fred nodded. "It's a footprint indeed."

"Wouldn't that be left by Scooby?" Daphne asked. I swear that girl was always blaming poor Scoob for something.

"There's no way Scooby will leave that footprint, Daphne." Velma defended him before I could spoke. "The footprint's too large for a Great Dane and it looks quite like a shoemark to me."

"Plus, Scoob's not the type who enjoys poking around in the bushes." I added.

"Maybe they were left by a police officer that was patrolling the trails." Fred offered.

"I don't think so." I folded my arms. "I'm sure the shape of this shoemark isn't that of the issued footwears worn by officers."

"Nonetheless, we'd better get a picture of this." Fred said before Daphne can spoke up.

"On it." Velma replied as she pulled out her flip phone and took a picture of the footprint.

As we watch Velma took the photo, we can hear some growling coming from behind.

"Uh...guys?" Daphne asked. "Did you hear something?"

"It was probably just Shag and Scooby's stomachs." Fred answered.

"Like, no way, man." I shook my hand. "I just had lunch, and even though I feel like I can eat some more, my stomach wouldn't growl that soon."

"Reah." Scooby agreed. "Rit's not me."

Before the others can respond, the growling grew. This time, it was more pronounced.

"I'm sure it's not their stomachs." Velma said as we turned and looked.

Standing right behind us was a horrendous-looking creature. A werewolf, to be precious.

"Zoinks!" I shouted as Scoob leaped into my arms in fright.

"Jeepers!" Daphne jumped. "A werewolf!"

"Jinkies! This can't be true!" Velma exclaimed.

The werewolf growled at us with his arms raised as it charged towards us.

"Run!" Fred shouted, and we all took off as the werewolf give chase.

While I've got Scoob in my arms, it was easy for me to run faster than the others, thanks to my gymnasium training. However, I see Daphne was having trouble running in high heels.

"What kind of a lady will think of wearing high heels while coming to a hiking trail?" Velma asked her.

"I wasn't expecting us to be running for our lives." Daphne retorted. "So shut up and just keep running."

We ran on and ran, but the werewolf seemed to be gaining on us.

Then, Daphne tripped over a tree root and I stopped as I watch the werewolf gain on her.

For some reason, something inside me snapped. Sure, that annoying redhead is always making fun of Scoob and I, but I can't let a werewolf get to her.

Without thinking, I charged towards Daphne as Fred and Velma stopped.

"Shag, Scooby!" Fred shouted. "What are you guys doing?"

I ignored Fred's shouting as Scooby leaped off my arms and jumped on the werewolf, who was clearly caught off guard by Scoob's charging towards him.

Scooby jumped like a cannonball out of my arms and landed right on the werewolf. During this time, I quickly helped Daphne up.

"Thanks, Shag." Daphne said as I helped her up.

"No problem." I replied before grabbing Scooby, who managed to knock the werewolf off his feet. "Come on, Scoob. Let's get out of here!"

"Right, Raggy." Scooby nodded as he joined us in running.

* * *

We soon managed to lost the werewolf as we made it to the movie's screening, which was somehow paused for some reason.

"Hey, the screening's stopped." Fred said.

"What's going on?" Velma asked as we looked around before I saw a police car with its lights flashing. Immediately, I got a bad feeling that something bad's happened.

We went around and then I saw Dad speaking to some witnesses. He must've been finished with his interview, because he suddenly looked up and saw the gang and me nearby.

"Norville?" He asked as he walked towards us. "What in heaven's name are you doing here?"

"Norville?" Fred and the girls repeated when they heard Dad calling my name as he approached me.

 **(Fred's Point of View)**

What kind of a name is Norville? I wondered as I watched the police detective walking towards Shaggy and then I noticed that he looked quite like Shaggy, especially with the dusty-brown hair and thin frame.

Holy cow. Is Shaggy's father a police detective?

"Uh..." We watched Shaggy trying to explain to his father, and at that moment, I decided to step in.

"Um...I can explain, Mr. Rogers." I quickly joined them.

Mr. Rogers turned to me and said, "Frederick Jones, I presume?"

"Yes, sir." I nodded. "You must be Dad's main police contact."

"Yes, I am." Mr. Rogers nodded. "Now, I will like to know what on earth is my son doing here?"

"He's investigating the werewolf with us, Mr. Rogers." Daphne spoke before I could reply.

"Are you kids out of your mind?" His father was clearly upset. "Don't you realize how dangerous this could get especially with all those disappearances?"

"Like, I was just trying to help, Dad." Shaggy spoke.

His father turned to him and said, "Well, why did you let them talk you into doing this, son? Don't you realize how dangerous this can get, and...wait a minute...what's on Scooby's fur?"

Uh oh. I forgot that Scooby had tangled with the werewolf, and being a police detective, Shaggy's father must be very observant on the most detailed details. The things he noticed must've been the werewolf fur.

* * *

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

Dad was really incensed and upset when he learned that we had a run-in with a werewolf earlier.

"You kids were lucky." He lectured us after we gave him and his partner a rundown on what we encountered, including the discovery of a shoemark in the bushes. "Any later, you kids would've vanished like Miss Arlene Wilcox just a few minutes ago."

"Wait, she disappeared?" Velma asked.

"That's right." Dad nodded. "She was at the screening and then wandered off to the washroom. Then, before you knew it, she was gone. There has been no sign of her anywhere in the area. You kids shouldn't have wondered around in the woods on your own. You could've gotten hurt or end up like her!"

"We were careful, Dad." I said to him.

"Doesn't matter, Norville." Dad shot back before pausing and sighed. Then, in a calm but stern voice, he said to me and Scooby. "From this moment on, son, you and Scooby are grounded for a week. During this time, you are not to set foot anywhere near the park and can only go out for school and theater."

Our jaws dropped when Dad made the order. I clearly wasn't expecting him to hand down this judgement that soon.

"But-"

"No buts!" Dad cut in before I could protest. "That was clearly irresponsible in terms for your safety, and I thought I told you not to go anywhere near a Blake!"

I can hear Daphne gasp when Dad made the remark, and I guess that she didn't realize that Dad despises her family that much.

"But Mr. Rogers, that's not fair for Shaggy!" Velma came to my defence. "Shaggy was helpful during our snooping around and the boat has already set sailed."

"Like how?" Dad turned to her.

"I can prove to you that the fur on Scooby was part of a werewolf costume." She said.

"There's no need." Dad replied. "Because, chances are, whoever is behind that costume is actually a dangerous serial killer and you kids will only get hurt if you try to dive into this deep. Do you need me to call your parents and ask that they keep a sharp eye on you kids?"

 **(Third Person)**

There was some silence from the gang as they were still stunned silent by Sam's outburst.

Eventually, he left Chan to keep an eye on Fred and the girls while ordering Shaggy and Scooby to get in the car.

As he prepares to drive Shaggy and Scooby home, Sam made a mental note to himself to call the district attorney.

* * *

 **Looks like the gang's investigations has hit a massive road block. What will happen next?**


	7. Checking out some old files

**Author's note: After some thought, I'm going to revamp the first six chapters of the story.**

* * *

Chapter 7: Some work to do and checking out a cold case file

 _October 10, 2010_

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

Man, I really wish Dad wouldn't hand down such a harsh punishment that soon, because you know how I have a tendency to get cabin fever when I'm grounded all day in the house.

With Dad away for work (He's working overtime today as he did yesterday, due to the recent disappearance of Arlene Wilcox yesterday), it leaves me and Maggie alone at home.

As we do the dishes after we finished our lunch, Maggie spoke.

"I heard that Dad grounded you yesterday for a week, Norville." She said to me.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I was at the park with a handful of friends, and..."

"What were you guys doing yesterday that led to you getting grounded, Norville?" Maggie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know about the recent disappearances near the Leonard Weinrib Park?" I said.

"Yes." Maggie nodded before adding, "Is it about the werewolf that is said to be haunting the park and Mom's old family manor?"

"That's the one." I nodded. "Anyways, Fred Jones decided to put together a team of mystery-solvers to find that werewolf, and I got asked to join his gang."

"Why?" Maggie asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, why did you let that bully talk you into joining him?"

I took a deep breath, and Maggie usually knows that I've got something important to say whenever I do that.

"He's not really that much of a bully." I replied. "Actually, the main reason I agreed to join him is because I wanted Dad to know that I can take good care of myself and fend for myself and that he doesn't have to be overprotective of us after Mom's death and that I really wanted to shelve that infamous reputation I built up to protect myself and you, Mags."

Maggie nodded thoughtfully. "I understand, Norville. As a matter a fact, I feel that Dad wasn't much of himself ever since Mom got killed in that car accident. Before her untimely demise, Dad was more determined in his work but he seemed to be holding back ever since the accident."

I nodded. "I want to see the old Dad back. He's got to learn that we're capable of protecting ourselves and that we won't back down because of his fight against corruption."

* * *

 **(Fred's Point of View)**

"I guess you didn't realize that that boy Rogers is the son of a overprotective police detective that happened to be also my main contact in the police department." Dad spoke to me the next day after the fiasco and close-call at the park, as well as receiving a phone call from Shaggy's dad.

I nodded. "Something's telling me that he's not the stoner type I've always thought he was and that he might have deliberately build up that infamous reputation to protect himself and his sister."

I then stared at Dad as I added. "Dad, you said that you were acquainted with Lieutenant Rogers. Can you tell me more about him?"

"I can." Dad nodded. "You see, for a while, Sam was very aggressive in pushing for reform within a crooked Coolsville Police Department and he was pretty much like my predecessor Lennie Jackson: A man of integrity who always delivers results. He's one of the **very** few police detectives I can fully trust, especially with getting things done. But then, something terrible happen that led him to become the man he is today."

"What happened, Dad?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"When you were about seven, son, the wealthy and highly-respected businessman Radley Crown and his wife Rebecca were murdered one night." Dad answered. "Prior to his death, Mr. Crown was an outspoken critic of the corrupt establishment that was deeply entrenched in Coolsville and had run for mayor against the incumbent James Iverson."

"The corrupt, short and narrow-sighted idiot who's still the mayor today." I interjected.

"That's right." Dad nodded. "Anyways, Sam was the detective assigned to the murders and I won't dive into the details due to the sensitivity of the information, but he supported Mr. Crowns' supporters' theory that Iverson had arranged the Crowns' deaths and had uncovered some damaging information."

"What kind of information?" I asked.

"I don't know." Dad shrugged. "But whatever it was, the corrupt establishment was determined to keep it covered-up. Then, his wife Wendy, who worked as a chemical researcher at Blake Enterprises, was killed in an automobile accident a week after the Crown murders. One thing interesting was that she seemed moody in the days leading to the accident."

"Holy moly!" I whistled and immediately, I begin to feel sorry for Shaggy and his sister for what they had to go through at such a young age.

"Anyways, after that accident, Sam became protective of his children and begin to resign to the fact that corruption has completely taken control of Coolsville." Dad concluded.

I nodded. "There's got to be something we can do to fix this, Dad."

"I'll like to dive into that, son." Dad said to me. "But with that major trial coming up tomorrow, I'm afraid you're on your own."

I nodded as I try to think of something that can help Shaggy and Scooby cope with their difficulties.

"Wait a minute, Dad." I realized something. "What do you mean that Mrs. Rogers was moody in the days leading to her accident?"

"I'm not really sure, son." Dad replied. "But I remember Sam briefly mentioning that his wife made a damaging discovery at work before her untimely demise. He didn't tell me the details of it, though."

"I see." I nodded and then, an idea came to me. "Hold the phone! I think I just thought of something."

Before Dad could ask, I entered my room and closed the door.

After doing some research on my computer, I reached for my slide phone and dialed Velma's phone number (We exchanged phone numbers before her parents picked her up from the park yesterday) and pray that she answers and agrees to what I've got in mind.

"Hello?" Velma's voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Hi Velms. It's me." I spoke, relieved that she answered.

"Freddie?" Velma asked. "What can I do for you? In case you didn't realize, I'm grounded thanks to the fiasco yesterday."

"Sorry about that." I sighed. "But I need you to do me another favour and I promise that this won't involve getting out of your house."

"What is it?" Velma asked.

 **(Velma's Point of View)**

"No way!" I spoke through the phone once Fred explained what he wanted me to do. "You're not serious, Freddie!"

Apparently, he asked me to see if I can hack into the company records of Blake Enterprises and find information related to a certain Wendy Rogers. A good thing I still have access to my laptop, but I don't see how does this have to do with the werewolf at Weinrib Park.

"I am." Fred replied on the other end. "You do know computer programming, do you, Velma?"

"I do." I sighed. "But I don't understand what does this have to do with the werewolf case?"

"I've been digging around." Fred explained. "I've researched the connection between Congressman Blake and Mayor Iverson and found that they were co-founders of Blake Enterprises before Iverson's run in politics."

He then told me about the unsolved murders of Radley Crown and Iverson's possible connection to it, as well as the death of a Blake employee from an accident a week after the murders and his hunch that the two may be connected to the werewolf case.

And, as it turned out: That Blake employee was Shaggy's mother.

Come to think of it, I felt sorry for the guy, especially on what he has to endure: Losing his mother at a young age and building up a rather infamous reputation in order to protect himself, his sister and Scooby.

I sighed before I spoke. "I may regret doing this, Fred, but I'll see what I can do."

"Perfect." Fred said cheerfully. "See you tomorrow at school."

* * *

 **(Third Person)**

 _October 11, 2010_

It was another exhausting day at work for Sam and his partner. As usual with the past victims of the Werewolf kidnappings, Arlene Wilcox was nowhere to be found and their investigations has led them to a dead end.

"Why the devil did I waste my day off working this case?" Sam groaned to himself as he stretched his arms in his office that evening.

"It's not a waste of time, Lieutenant." Chan said to him. "We've made some progress."

"Like how?" Sam turned to his partner, clearly annoyed by how the day went.

"How we got the werewolf's fur from your Great Dane and saw that it was more of being part of a costume." Chan replied.

"Don't even mention that, Chan." Sam snapped. "My son and his dog shouldn't have went out to the park to hunt for that werewolf in the first place! They could've gotten seriously hurt by that animal, if it weren't for the clumsiness of that Blake!"

"What beef do you have with the congressman, Lieutenant?" Chan asked, detecting the venom Sam has in his voice when he said Blake's name.

Sam was a little stunned when Chan made the remark, but then he leaned closer to his partner and said in a low voice.

"Let's just say that he and I have bad blood, Chan." He huffed before putting on his suit jacket and stood up from his seat.

"Where are you going, Sam?" Chan asked as Sam grabbed his briefcase.

"The shift's over, Chan." Sam said. "I'm heading home."

Chan frowned as he watched the lieutenant make his leave. He then turned and saw an attractive-looking lady walking by and stopped her.

"Uh...excuse me, Detective." He said to the lady once his partner was out of earshot.

"Yes?" The lady asked as she turned to Chan.

"Do you know where do they keep **cold cases** around here?" Chan asked.

* * *

A short while later, Charlie was in the records section of the station, where he walked over to the desk clerk.

"Hi there, sergeant." He said to the clerk, who paused from her reading and looked up.

"What can I do for you, sir?" The clerk asked.

"I will like to check out some old files." Chan explained. "The Crown files, as in Radley and Rebecca."

"And you are?" The clerk asked, not familiar with Charlie.

Charlie sighed and pulled out his badge wallet before saying, "Detective Charles Chan. I was recently transferred to the division."

"Chan..." The clerk repeated as she typed into her computer before stopping. "Sorry, Detective, but I don't have your name on my list, which means you can't check out old files yet."

"They must be still processing that blasted paperwork." Chan said in frustration.

"I think so, Detective." The clerk nodded. "Check back tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Charlie came up with something swiftly.

"Well actually, those files aren't for me, sergeant." He said quickly. "They're for my partner Lieutenant Sam Rogers. He was busy with something and sent me down here, and if I return empty-handed, he will have a fit, yell at me and then storm down here himself."

He then looked at the clerk as he added, "Might as well as save us the trouble by letting me sign those files out under his name."

The clerk sighed before responding, "Just print his name in the list."

"Thank you, Sergeant." Chan nodded as he proceeded to write down Sam's name on the list.

* * *

A short while later, another desk clerk working in the records section of police headquarters received a notice on her computer.

A notice reserved for when an old cold case file has been checked out from the records in other divisions.

Taking a look at the notice, she noted that the file that was checked out was the Crowns murder files.

And the detective who checked it out was a Lieutenant Sam Rogers.

Swiftly, she grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

When the party on the other end answered, she spoke. "Hi, it's Sarah from police records."

There was a pause before she continued, "You may want to inform the mayor and congressman that someone is digging into the old files again."

When the party on the other end prompted her, she nodded and replied, "Lieutenant Sam Rogers."

* * *

 **Please read and review!**


	8. A kidnapping and four punks

Chapter 8: A kidnapping and four punks

 **(Third Person)**

Sam was parking his car into the parking lot of a major shopping mall, where he was going to pick up dinner, when his phone rang.

"Hello?" Sam answered.

"Hi Dad." It was Maggie, who was leaving the public library as she spoke on the phone.

"Maggie? Where are you?" Sam asked.

"Leaving the library, Dad." Maggie replied. "Heather called in sick again, so I thought I could use the extra shift."

"Library?!" Sam tensed. "What the devil did I tell you about coming home before dark, Maggie? Were you-"

"The rent cheque bounced again, Dad." Maggie cut in before her father could lecture again.

Stunned by the news. Sam felt a lost of words before saying, "Maggie...I-"

"Don't worry about it, Dad." Maggie said as she waited at a bus stop. "We're in this together, along with Norville and Scooby."

As Maggie was speaking, she was unaware that a shadowed figure was walking towards her at the moment.

* * *

Meanwhile, Fred and Velma had met together after a busy day at school.

"Busy day." Fred said.

"Tell me about it." Velma nodded. Then, after looking around, she added in a low voice, "I found something yesterday in the company records and what I've found was very shocking. So shocking that it took my breath away when I first laid my eyes on it."

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"So apparently, Blake Enterprises has been banned from doing business in several countries around the world, including the European Union, Russia, China and Japan, with Canada planning to follow suit, due to several environmental and labour-code violations." Velma answered.

"Holy moly." Fred remarked.

"And that's not all." Velma continued. "I also found Shaggy's mother's file, and she was in the company's chemical research division. Just a couple of days after the Crown murders, she discovered something which I felt was what got her killed in that 'car accident'."

"What did she discover?" Fred asked.

"The corporation has been researching and developing biological weapons." Velma answered. "In fact, the weapon they were developing is a nerve gas of some sort that is very powerful and deadly and that they were planning on selling it internationally, that is, in spite of the death of an employee from exposure of the gas, which was supposedly an accident."

"Oh my." Fred gasped. "Now I understand why so many people hated that congressman."

Velma nodded. "In addition, for a while, they were responsible for the production of a cleaning agent that was used in the clothing industry for cleaning finished products of costumes, and get this: This one clothing company is one of Blake Enterprises biggest clients."

"Let me guess: That company produces costumes." Fred surmised.

"That's right." Velma nodded. "And the man holding a lot of stock in that clothing company is Mayor James Iverson."

There was some silence as the development was sunk in.

"Something's telling me that we're going to have to check out a crime scene." Fred said. "One of the latest sites of where the werewolf had kidnapped his victim."

Just then, his phone rang and Fred immediately answered it.

"Hello, Dad?" Fred asked.

There was a pause before his eyes widened.

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

That evening, I was alone at home doing my homework as usual when the doorbell rang.

Believing that it was either Dad or Maggie or Scooby returning from the vet (Dad had him sent to the vet after the fiasco at the park and was told that Scooby will need to stay for at least two days after it was discovered that the werewolf managed to break his front legs. How he managed to hide the pain, I have no idea.), I grumbled under my breath as I got up and headed for the door. "Can't you find your keys?"

However, when I opened the door, I was shocked to see someone on the other side of the door. Someone that I was least expecting.

Daphne Anne Blake, the youngest daughter of Congressman Barty Blake.

"Uh...hi." She said to me softly. "Is your dad home, Shaggy?"

"No." I shook my head. "What the devil are you doing here?"

"I just want to talk to you." Daphne replied. "Can I come in?"

"My dad's due to arrive home from work any minute now, so I can't let you in or I'll get into trouble with him." I said as I tried to keep her from entering the small house, but she managed to charge right in anyways.

Sighing, I closed the door and made my way to my bedroom as she followed me.

"What would you like to discuss?" I asked her once we were in my room and I closed the door.

"I need you to do me a favour." Daphne said to me.

"What kind?" I folded my arms. "In case you didn't realize, I'm grounded."

"No, it doesn't involve getting out of the house, Shag." Daphne quickly said. "Actually, I need you to convince your father that my father didn't arrange the death of your mother."

"Wait...hold on a minute." I said. "How did you know that my mother used to work for your father and that she was killed?"

"Someone managed to hack into my father's company records and discovered damaging information that could spell the end of my father's political career if the press catches wind of it." Daphne said.

"And you're asking me to help your father cover it up?" I folded my arms and frowned, clearly not impressed that she will come over to ask me to do something like this. "Not going to happen."

"No, it's not that." Daphne clarified. "I know a lot of people hated my father, your family included, and that he may have done a lot of bad things. But he wouldn't cross the line of arranging someone's death. So please: Will you do it?"

She had this tone of desperation in her voice, and I can't help but wonder if she was faking it. After all, I read in the paper that she was involved in the drama club of her private school, which also means that she can act, just like me.

Before I could answer, I heard the front door being unlocked and I heard heavy footsteps that I know that only Dad can make.

"Norville?" Dad's voice echoed. "Are you home? I've bought dinner!"

"Yes, Dad!" I shouted towards the door so that he can hear me before I turned to Daph.

"You better leave." I whispered to Daphne urgently. "Dad's home and he'll have a huge fit if he sees you here. You can go out from the back door."

"Will you at least consider doing it?" Daphne asked.

I sighed. "Give me a few days. I'll-"

Before I could finish, the door burst open and there was Dad on the other side. I can see the shock in his face when he saw Daphne and I knew that I was in trouble.

"Uh...hi, Mr. Rogers." Daphne said shyly.

"Hello, Miss Blake." Dad said calmly. "What brings you here?"

"Well...I was coming to ask Shag about some homework questions, Mr. Rogers." Daphne said, making up an excuse.

Raising an eyebrow, Dad turned to me as he asked, "Is that true, Norville?"

I nodded. "Like, Daph's school gave her an English assignment similar to the one I worked on just two weeks ago, so I was...uh...giving her some instructions on how to proceed with it."

"Huh." Dad remarked, and I guess that he can tell that we were lying. After all, as a cop, Dad has been able to detect when was one lying without the use of a lie detector.

"Whatever you two were talking about, it better be quick." Dad said sternly. "Because-"

Before he could continue, the doorbell rang again.

"Now what?" He asked as he turned towards the stairs.

"It's probably Maggie." I offered. "She mentioned that she was going to be working at the library today after school."

"Well, I'm sure she should know where she had placed her keys." Dad said as he headed down the stairs while Daphne and I followed.

However, when Dad opened the door, we saw that it wasn't Maggie on the other side. It was an East Asian man dressed in a suit and he was holding a thick file.

"Chan?" Dad said and I immediately remembered that it was his partner Detective Charlie Chan. "What the devil are your doing here?"

"I need to talk to you, Lieutenant." Chan replied as he entered the house, while Daph and I shared a look.

At the living room table, he flipped open the file before continuing, "You know about Francis Jones, the first officer that was on the scene of the Crown murders? Apparently, the FBI has been sniffing into his activities lately and he was given the choice of cooperating with them, and now he's dead. His landlady found him with his throat slashed and the guys have been trying to call this a suicide."

At that point, Dad's eyes narrowed.

"Get your butt out of my house, Chan!" Dad said sternly to his partner, and I started to wonder if Mom's untimely demise had something to do with the files.

"Sir...whatever is going on right now...I'm not sure if it's connected to the Crown murders or the Mayor or even the werewolf case right now, but whatever it is, it's something **big**. I just have this feeling." Chan said.

Before Dad could answer, the nearby telephone rang and Dad promptly answered it after seeing Maggie's caller ID.

 **(Third Person)**

"Maggie?" Sam asked as he answered the phone.

However, to his shock and surprise, it was Pistol, who answered, "Hello, Lieutenant Rogers."

"Pistol?!" Sam exclaimed. "What the devil are you doing with my daughter's phone? Where is she?"

"Somewhere, Rogers." Pistol smirked. "But it's up to you to determine if she's somewhere safe."

As Pistol made the remark, Shaggy and Daphne turned and looked at each other.

"You were warned before to bloody stay away from the archives, as to not dig into truths others wanted to remain hidden, Rogers." Pistol continued. "And guess what: You checked out an old file today that crossed the line. You want to see your daughter again, **you put them back**."

Listening to the remark, Sam turned and saw the files Chan was holding and his eyes widened as he realized what Pistol was talking about.

Seeing the horrified look on Sam's face, Chan asked, "What is it?"

Then, without warning, Sam charged towards Chan and grabbed him by the wrist as he pushes him against the wall.

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

Daphne and I watched in slow motion as Dad grabbed his partner by the wrist and pinned him against the wall.

"You stupid jacka**!" Dad screamed in anger. "You checked those files out under my name?!"

"What? I wasn't in the system yet, Lieutenant." Chan replied. "I was just trying to-"

"They have my dh-daughter!" Dad's face expression turned sad as he lost control of his expressions.

"Who does?" Chan asked.

"The real people that control Coolsville." Dad answered. "The very people that had my wife killed!"

Relaxing his grip on Chan, Dad let go as his partner asked, "Your wife...?"

Taking a deep breath, Dad then continued, "I...used to be like you, Chan. I used to tell anyone who tried to get me to go with the flow in the city to screw themselves. Then, my wife was killed in an automobile accident."

I can see the stunned expression on both Daphne and Detective Chan's faces as Dad made the confession.

"I don't know if the accident was orchestrated by those slimeballs or not...guess I'll never know...but the truth is, the reason I let the likes of Pistol own the corners is not because I get paid like others do." Dad continued. "I do it to protect my son and daughter and Scooby. They're all I've got left."

Then, as panic set into Dad, he continued, "We've got to return those files!"

"And then what, Dad?" I decided to speak up. "You think Maggie's going to be safe, but will that be the end of it?"

"Your son's right, Lieutenant." Chan agreed. "They'll keep coming after you."

"Well, what do you suppose I should do?" Dad asked. "I can't go to the division for help. I can't trust anyone."

"You can trust me, sir." Chan spoke. "I mean, you may not like the way I got us into this fine mess, but you can sure trust me."

Dad was silent as he looked at his partner. Then, he relaxed as he asked, "What do you suggest we do?"

"You know the corner Pistol works at, right?" Chan asked as he leaned down to pick up the baseball bat that fell from the shelf as a result of Dad striking Chan earlier.

Dad nodded before his partner continued, "Let's check out and see if he likes baseball."

Dad was silent before he nodded in agreement, and for the first time since Mom's death, I saw the look of determination on his face.

The old Dad was back.

As Dad and his partner prepare to head out, Dad turned to me and Daphne.

"Norville, I want you to stay safe at home." He said. "Whatever we're going to encounter is not going to be pretty."

"There's no way you're going to let Shag stay at home alone, Mr. Rogers." Daphne cut in before I could protest. "You may not like my father, but you can trust me in making the right decisions, and right now, I want to make sure that your daughter gets rescued for real, and I'm sure Shag will think the same."

Dad sighed as he considered Daphne's words before he nodded. "Very well, then. As of this moment, Norville, I've lifted your grounding. If you want to see your sister rescued, then I suggest that you come join us."

"Right, Dad." I nodded as I went to grab my jacket while Dad managed to grab a wrench.

* * *

 **(Third Person)**

A short while later, Pistol was at his corner as usual, trying to woo ladies as they walked by.

"Where are you going, ladies?" He asked.

"Beat it, punk!" The first lady said dismissively.

"We're going to work!" The second one added.

"Well, I've got work for you, baby." Pistol stick his tongue out, unaware that a man armed with a baseball bat was approaching him at the moment. "Come back!"

Then, without warning, a sudden strike in the head caused him to crash to the ground.

Rubbing the back of his head, Pistol looked up and recognized two figures. "Rogers?"

"You **are** going to tell me where my daughter is." Sam said to him sternly.

"If you don't, you'll soon learn that we can be more trouble to you than you think." His partner Chan added while a punk and a goth girl approaches them.

Shaggy was the punk in question, dressed with a hoodie and armed with his fists, while Daphne was the goth girl in question, wearing a black wig to conceal her identity as Congressman Blake's youngest daughter.

"What the h*ll is this supposed to be?" Pistol sneered. "Good cop, bad cop?"

"Oh, come on Pistol." Chan smirked. "I get it now. This is Coolsville, which means..."

The scene then cuts to Sam and Chan, both armed with a wrench and a baseball bat respectively while Shaggy and Daphne cracked their fists as if they were ready to kick some butt as Chan added, "It's **bad cop, bad cop,** and a couple of punks!"

Cornered by the four people, Pistol found himself in a disadvantage.

* * *

 **Will Maggie be rescued? Also, what will Fred and Velma discover in the next crime scene?**

 **Stay tuned, and please read and review!**


	9. In the manor and the rescue

Chapter 9: In the manor and the rescue

Meanwhile, Fred and Velma were outside the latest crime scene attributed to the Werewolf of the Weinrib Park, outside the apartment building where Francis Jones lived at.

"You sure about this, Freddie?" Velma asked as they hid behind a corner and noted the crime scene tape through the former Coolsville police officer's apartment window. "If we do this, we're technically trespassing on a crime scene."

"Just follow me and everything will be alright." Fred replied as he looked around for a way to sneak into the apartment without getting caught by the victim's landlady or the remaining officers patrolling the scene.

"Yeah, right." Velma huffed. "It sure went well last Saturday at the park."

In spite of her protests, Velma still decided to follow Fred as he managed to found an open window.

"Say, how did you know that Francis Jones was murdered, by the way?" Velma asked her friend.

"Dad's got the news, which was the phone call I received earlier, and with all of this going around about the werewolf and how the FBI was sniffing around Jones before his death, as well as him being the first officer to be at the scene of the Crown murders years ago, I thought I should check things out here." Fred replied as he climbed up through the fire escape.

"Careful, Freddie." Velma warned her friend as she followed suit.

Fred managed to slip into the window of Francis Jones' apartment before helping Velma in. Then, they looked around and noticed the footprints on the floor.

"Why are the footprints red?" Fred asked as he examined the closest footprint closely. "Could it be blood?"

"Looks more like dirt to me." Velma frowned as she snapped on a pair of plastic gloves and took a sample of the dirt before examining it closely with a special lenses and added, "Dirt with rust, to be precise."

"Which could mean that the killer came from an abandoned building." Fred surmised. "An abandoned building with rusting iron or steel gates."

Velma nodded before remembering something from Saturday.

VELMA'S FLASH VISION

Standing together with Fred as they watched themselves grouped up outside the park that Saturday afternoon, Velma looked around and a particular structure caught her and Fred's eyes.

"That manor near the park, Freddie." Velma said as she pointed towards the manor in question while pausing her flash vision.

"I see it, Velms." Fred nodded as they walked over to the manor. "It's the infamous Amon Manor, and-"

He stopped when he realized something.

"That manor happened to be the ancestral manor of Shaggy's mother, Wendy Rogers née Amon." Fred said. "It was said that her parents were brutally killed by a werewolf-like figure, and with the case unsolved and the area haunted by a werewolf after the killings, the manor is said to be cursed."

"Jinkies." Velma remarked before taking a look at the iron gate and noted how bad it has rusted since the manor was abandoned. "And the gate sure has rusted badly."

"Indeed." Fred nodded before taking note of the soil and added, "And the soil seems to match the profile of the sample you just picked up, Velms."

END OF FLASH VISION

"That means the Amon Manor is our next stop for the mystery, Fred." Velma nodded. "We'd better be prepared for what we might encounter there."

"D*mn!" Fred swinged his fist frustratedly. "We were just around the corner near the manor at the park this past Saturday!"

* * *

Around that time, Shaggy, Daphne, Sam and Charlie pulled up at the animal hospital.

"Why are we stopping here, Lieutenant?" Chan asked as they arrived at the hospital.

"We need to make a pick-up first." Sam replied as Shaggy and Daphne got off the car and raced into the hospital.

While they were gone, Charlie remarked, "So according to Pistol, the mayor had a handyman they call the Werewolf, who is some **serial killer** , on **his payroll.** That man has your daughter and he...hangs out at Amon Manor."

Sam nodded as his eyes narrowed, not saying a word.

"Lieutenant..." Chan spoke. "Before we head into the manor, I just want to say that I'm terribly sorry about your wife and how-"

"There's no need to apologize." Sam cuts in. "I've had **enough** of those slimeballs in power continuing to bully me and anyone that opposes them, as well as using my wife's death as a reminder of what happens to those close to anyone that opposes them, so if they think kidnapping Maggie will force me to stop for them, then they can shove that right up their a-"

"They're back, sir." Chan interrupted as he saw Shaggy and Daphne returning with Scooby in tow.

"Good, let's go." Sam nodded as his son, Scooby and Daphne got in the car. Then, he pressed on the accelerator and drove off.

* * *

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

A short while later, we arrived at the entrance to the abandoned Amon Manor, the ancestral manor of Mom's family.

I shivered as we walked towards the rusted gates and Scoob whimpered. We still remember the time Mom has brought us out for a walk and what she said to us whenever we walk by the manor.

FLASHBACK - Nine Years Ago

 _October 20, 2001_

It was a cool autumn afternoon as Mom, Maggie and I take a relaxing walk through the East Memorial Park, which was renamed the Leonard Weinrib Memorial Park in 2006 after the passing of some guy who, for some reason, reminded me of Scooby's now-new-born nephew, accompanied by a pup named Scooby-Doo.

As we made our way back home, we walked passed a creepy-looking old manor.

Walking by the front entrance, Mom tensed as she looked at the manor.

"What's the matter, Mommy?" Maggie asked Mom. "Are you alright?"

Mom looked down at us and replied calmly, "Uh...Mommy's alright."

"Are you sure, Mommy?" I asked. "You always do that whenever we walk by that creepy-looking manor."

"Is it because of something in the manor, Mommy?" Maggie pressed her.

"No, not really." Mom said before kneeling down and placed a hand on our shoulders before adding, "But, promise me that you will **never** go inside."

"Why?" I asked. "What's the matter?"

" **Bad things** happened there." Mom replied before pleading us. "Please, just promise me that you two will never go inside that manor."

Maggie and I looked at each other. We were tempted to ask Mom what kind of bad things happened there, but we nodded.

"We promise, Mom." We replied together.

Mom nodded and smiled as she rubbed our cheeks.

END OF FLASHBACK

"What's the matter, Shag?" Daphne asked me, shattering me out of my thoughts.

"Eh?" I asked as I snapped out of it before replying, "Like, I remember this place. Mom used to tell us **not** to go inside the manor, as bad things happened there."

"Reah." Scooby nodded in agreement.

"But we're going to have to go in, Norville." Dad said to me while his partner worked the chains that chained the gate doors together. "If we want to rescue your sister."

Before Dad could continue, we can hear a faint voice shouting, "Help! Someone get me out of here!"

"That's Maggie's voice!" I shouted.

"Then we're going to have to go in!" Dad said as his partner managed to take care of the chains and open the rusty gate.

Without hesitation, we charged into the manor.

* * *

 **(Third Person)**

Maggie found herself tied up to a chair with her hands cuffed together by duct tape as she continues to cry for help.

"Help!" She screamed. "Someone get me out of here!"

She struggled to get herself free, but instead, her constant rocking of the wooden chair caused a leg to crack, leading her and the chair to fall over.

Grunting from the pain, she took note of the sharp edge of the broken chair leg and the fact that the fall had managed to loosen the bonds that tied her to the chair, though her hands were still taped together, just as the room door opened.

Instinctively, she reached for the chair leg as the door opened, revealing the Werewolf.

"Good to see you again, Jamie." The Werewolf said, not noticing his captive managing to reach the broken chair leg.

* * *

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

As we try to figure our way through the manor, Chan looked around.

"The layout of the manor looks really crazy." He remarked.

"You don't say." Daphne agreed.

"That's because the Amons had hired the Arkhams based in Gotham to design this manor." Dad explained as we looked around. "And if you look at the layout of Gotham City, which the Arkhams had built, you'll see that the street layouts are just as crazy as this manor."

"Dang." Chan remarked. "If the Werewolf knows this maze, then we're at a disadvantage. It's going to be easy getting lost in here."

Dad and his partner were moving fast and it was quite difficult for Daph and I and Scoob to keep up and before you know it, we've lost them in the dark.

"Dad?" I called out. "Detective Chan?"

There was no response as we found ourselves in an unfamiliar-part of the manor.

"Jeepers!" Daphne said. "I think we've lost them!"

Scooby sniffed the floor and then said, "Ri rink they went rat way."

Daph and I looked at each other before we followed Scooby to a door.

"Mr. Rogers?" Daphne asked as we cautiously entered the room behind the door.

It was a large bedroom and we entered cautiously. The room had a large bed, some abandoned clothes and several toys littered around.

As we looked around, I set my eyes on a family photograph of the Amons and the one that caught my eye was a young girl that looked totally like Mom.

"That girl in that photograph, Shaggy..." Daphne said to me as if knowing my thoughts.

"I know, Daph." I replied before Scooby interrupted us as he pointed towards a set of play blocks.

The set of blocks were placed near a group of creepy-looking clown dolls and the message the blocks were arranged into sent a chill down my spine.

It read, "You'll all go crazy."

"Creepy." Daphne remarked.

Just then, I got the feeling that someone was behind us and I instinctively grabbed a block and threw it towards whatever or whoever was behind us.

Turned out that I just shattered a nearby mirror. Must be our reflections in the mirror that gave me that spooky feeling.

"This place is a bloody nuthouse!" Daphne exclaimed.

"Yeah." I agreed. "Let's try to find Maggie and the others and get out of here!"

* * *

 **(Third Person)**

Eying her captor, Maggie managed to grab her makeshift weapon as she shouted, "Stay away from me!"

Outside, Sam and Chan, who were on the second floor of the manor, and Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne, who were in that large bedroom, heard the scream.

"Oh no..." Daphne said.

"Maggie?" Sam asked as his daughter managed to stab the Werewolf in the leg.

"Maggie!" Sam shouted as he and Chan raced off to find the room she was being held captive in.

At that moment, they heard someone else shouting, "Mr. Rogers!"

Stopping and look, they saw Fred and Velma racing towards them.

"Mr. Jones!" Sam said as the duo managed to join them. "What are you doing here?"

"Doing what you're doing, sir." Fred replied as he tries to catch his breath. "Finding the werewolf."

"And my daughter!" Sam added. "She was crying for help just a minute ago, but we've lost the source!"

Just then, they heard Maggie shouting, "No!" as the werewolf prepares to use its claws on her.

"It's just going to be between you and me, Jamie." The Werewolf said as he prepares his claws.

Fred and Velma were quick to peel their ears on a nearby wall while Sam and Chan looked on.

"What are you doing?" Chan asked.

Without answering, the duo managed to hear the Werewolf's remark and Fred braced himself.

Just as the Werewolf was about to slash its claws on Maggie, Fred suddenly charged through the room wall, breaking it in the process, and crashed the scene.

Hearing the crash elsewhere, Shaggy said, "Like, do you hear that crash?"

Daphne nodded. "It's coming from down the hallway! Let's go!"

 **(Fred's Point of View)**

I huffed as the Werewolf turned towards me and Velma, still grabbing Shaggy's sister by the wrist.

"This is a private moment!" The Werewolf hissed at us. "You're not invited!"

He then charged towards Velma and I while I prepared to tackle him using my football moves.

"Careful, Freddie." Velma warned me as she ducked out of the way. "He looks strong and could be a bane to you."

I nodded as I charged towards the Werewolf to try to tackle him, but turned out Velma was right. The beast managed to anticipate my moves and overpowered me.

No matter how hard I tried to lift him, the monster wouldn't budge, and he managed to lift me up and threw me towards the nearby table.

As I groaned in pain, Shaggy's father and his partner managed to free the former's daughter.

"Maggie!" Mr. Rogers exclaimed in relief.

"Dad!" Maggie replied as they shared a close embrace.

At that moment, the Werewolf turned his attention towards them as he asked, "Jamie?"

"Freeze!" Chan shouted as he aimed his weapon towards the Werewolf. "Don't move!"

Ignoring the warning, the Werewolf charged towards him as Chan fired his shot, shooting him right in the shoulder.

The bullets seemed to have no affect on the Werewolf as he managed to grab Chan by the wrist and twisted it, causing him to drop his weapon in pain.

Taking my chance, I quickly rushed into the fray and locked my arm around the monster's neck.

"Go!" I shouted towards Mr. Rogers, Maggie and Detective Chan as I tried the choke hold on the Werewolf. "Get your daughter out of here!"

Shaggy's father complied while Velma and I try hard to neutralize the Werewolf. I swear that thing isn't human at all.

 **(Third Person)**

Fred's struggle with the Werewolf cause them to crash through the wall and fall down to the ground floor, right in front of Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne as they rushed over.

"Zoinks!" Shaggy exclaimed.

"Fred!" Daphne shouted. "That thing is trying to kill you!"

"I know!" Fred replied as he struggled with the werewolf.

"Where's Maggie?" Shaggy asked.

"She's safe with your father, Shag." Velma replied as she rushed to the scene. "But we've gotta do something before Fred gets killed!"

Looking around, Shaggy found a frying pan and instinctively went to grab it.

"Like, heads up, Fred!" He shouted as he swinged the frying pan.

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

I swinged the frying pan and it hit the Werewolf right on its head, but that thing just didn't seem to be affected by the whack I gave it.

Then, the monster suddenly stomped, causing the wooden floor to crack.

Before Daph and I could react, we fell through the hole and crash landed in the basement.

I swear that basement is like two stories below the main floor, because I had a rough landing and a long fall.

"Uh..." I grunted in pain as I tried to get up, only to notice a shoe nearby.

Looking around, I saw Daph struggling to do the same.

"Are you alright, Shag?" She asked me.

"I think...so." I grunted as I tried to find my flashlight.

"Here." Daphne said as she got her flashlight on, and I looked towards where it was shining at. "I've got mine, and..."

She trailed off when she followed my gaze and...oh, dear Lord.

We were staring at a couple of lifeless bodies, and I immediately recognized one of them as Arlene Wilcox.

Oh, Lord. So...many of those poor...girls...meeting their ends brutally in the hands of that monster fighting Fred above.

 **(Third Person)**

Back upstairs, the Werewolf managed to grab ahold of Fred's ascot.

"What's this you're wearing, boy?" The Werewolf taunted as it pulls Fred close and prepares to use his claws on him. "A scarf?"

"It's...an...ascot!" Fred gritted, and instinctively, Velma untied his ascot and quickly wrapped it around the Werewolf's neck tight.

"Argh!" The Werewolf tried to struggle free, but Velma simply tightened the cloth around its neck, allowing Fred to escape.

Then, Scooby grabbed the frying pan and threw it towards the Werewolf's face.

The frying pan hit the Werewolf right in the nose, and then it stopped struggling.

Velma let go as they watched the Werewolf collapsed to the floor with a loud "Thooom!", not moving at last.

Catching their breaths, Velma turned to Fred as she asked, "Is...this it?"

"I hope so." Fred replied as they took another look at the beast, bracing themselves for a comeback by the monster.

To their relief, the Werewolf laid on the floor, not moving a muscle.

"Scooby Doo, you did it!" Velma smiled. "You've stopped the Werewolf!"

"Yeah!" Fred agreed. "Way to go, Scooby Doo!"

"Raw." Scooby blushed. "Rit was nothing."

However, the celebration was cut short by a very loud "ZOINKS!" and "JEEPERS!" coming from the basement.

* * *

 **The gang has did it! They've finally stopped the Werewolf!**

 **But what did Shaggy and Daphne discover in the basement? Stay tuned, and please read and review!**


	10. The game's up and the arrests

Chapter 10: The game is up and the arrests

A short while later, Sam, Chan and the gang were gathered around the now-handcuffed Werewolf outside the manor, right beside Sam's car.

"To think that Maggie would've ended up like those poor girls in the basement." Shaggy said as he sat on the car seat with his hands on his head.

He and Daphne were still traumatized by the sight of those bodies in the basement, some of them badly rotten or horribly disfigured beyond recognition.

"Turns out that your daughter wasn't the first girl that monster attacked, Lieutenant." Chan remarked. He had just hung up the phone after a quick call to the DA's office, a call that was also forwarded to the local FBI field office.

"Clearly." Sam frowned before looking at his daughter.

"How did you guys know I was here?" Maggie asked her father.

Their attention was diverted by someone pounding on the trunk door and a muffled voice from the trunk shouting, "Let me outta here!"

Figuring that whoever was locked inside the trunk must be the source, Maggie turned to her father as he said, "I'm so sorry."

"Can you stop blaming yourself, Dad?" Maggie asked.

"Like, you were just trying to protect us, Dad." Shaggy agreed. "There's nothing to be sorry for."

Sam nodded as he asked, "When did you guys become so nice?"

"Let's just say that we got this from Mom." Maggie said just as the voice inside the trunk shouted again.

"I said I was **sorry**!" The voice shouted, and you can pretty much guess who was making the racket.

* * *

A short while later at the mayor's office, Iverson was enjoying a drink with the police chief and congressman when a voice through the comlink came through.

"Mayor Iverson?!" The voice shouted, and it sounded frantic, which alerted the trio. "We've got a problem!"

"What is it now?" Iverson asked. "Jones again?"

"Worse, your Lordship!" That same voice said and the trio thought they can hear handcuffs. "It's..."

The voice through the comlink was then cut, and Iverson pressed a button as he asked, "What?"

When he received no answer, he added, "Hello?"

"It's us, Mayor Iverson, Congressman Blake and Chief of Police Gosnell." A voice suddenly said.

"Who in the..." Blake asked as they turned towards the door, only to find several people at the doorway:

The gang consisting of Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, Maggie, Scooby, Sam, his partner Charlie, District Attorney Jones and a handful of unfamiliar-looking men dressed in dark suits.

"You again?" Iverson spat as Blake and Gosnell stood up from their seats.

"Not just me, your Lordship." Sam replied evenly. "We've got the FBI."

"FBI?!" Gosnell exclaimed. "What the devil are you doing, Lieutenant?"

"Simple, Chief." Sam replied as he turned to the soon-to-be former chief of police. "We're here to arrest the three of you."

Gosnell bursted out laughing. "Are you joking me, Lieutenant?"

"Yeah." Iverson sneered. "Just what makes you think you can arrest us if we have the authority to strip you of your badges?"

"We have evidence of your employment of a serial killer, your Lordship." Fred cut in.

"And in case you didn't realize, the girl you ordered to have executed after her father dug into the old police records is alive and well and is standing right in front of you." Shaggy added as he presented Maggie.

The mayor's face expression turned from mocking the weak into that of horror.

"Don't tell me..." He sputtered.

"We managed to take down that monster earlier." Velma said. "And we happen to see that our friend's sister wasn't the Werewolf's first victim when we saw where he had stored the dismembered bodies of his previous victims."

"Mr. Iverson, as an elected official, you were expected to uphold the laws that bound the people and society." One of the FBI agents spoke as he stepped forward with a pair of handcuffs. "Instead, we have a scumbag who actually had a serial killer in his payroll to carry out his bidding and help him exert control of Coolsville for the past two decades."

"The bureau has raided your homes just in the past hour, and what we found was staggering and shocking." Another agent added. "Evidence of your corrupt and illegal dealings, in addition to evidence of conspiring to murder Radley and Rebecca Crown."

Immediately, Barty Blake rose from his seat as he pointed an accusing finger at the agent.

"That's the ultimate invasion of ones privacy!" He spat at the lead agent. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Yes, we do, Congressman." The first agent replied but not backing down from the congressman's accusation. "But as you may be aware, **nobody** is above the law. That means you too, Mr. Blake."

"And we have reason to believe that you may be facing censure in the House of Representatives soon." The second agent added.

"What do you mean?" Barty hissed.

"An anonymous source turned over evidence of Blake Enterprises illegal business dealings and manufacture of banned biological weapons to the bureau in the past hour, Mr. Blake." The first agent replied with his arms folded. "In addition to conspiring to have a whistleblower murdered in order to cover up the evidence."

"A whistleblower that happened to be my wife!" Sam said angrily as he stormed towards Barty in an attempt to confront the congressman, only for the two lead agents to block him. "She was very loyal and dedicated to work and supporting her family, and your arrangement of that car accident took away my children's chance of being raised in a proper household!"

"Your wife should've minded her own business and know not to do anything that will harm my business and reputation, Mr. Rogers." Barty retorted.

"So in other words, the profitability of your company is more important than the well-being of society and your employees and the environment?" Shaggy asked with his arms folded. "I now understand the method behind Dad's madness when he warned us never to get anywhere close to you or your family, Mr. Blake."

Barty was silent as he continued to frown at the gang and the agents.

At that moment, Chief of Police Gosnell made an attempt to turn the tables.

"This is insane, Lieutenant!" He said to Sam and Chan. "You don't even have solid evidence and witnesses to back up your absurd claims-"

"Pistol talked when we played bad cop, Chief." Chan snorted. "He happened to grab the wrong girl and when we confronted him and force him to kneel, he gave everything all up, including your involvement in the rackets and those illegal and corrupt dealings."

The three men's eyes widened in horror as the realization that the game is up sank in.

Without missing a beat, the first agent went to Iverson as he said, "James Iverson, you're now under arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud, murder and corruption. You have the right to remain silent."

As Gosnell and Barty were being handcuffed and prepared to be escorted, Barty turned to Sam as he hissed.

"This isn't over, Rogers." He hissed at Sam. "I'll bring in my lawyers and they'll be sure to ruin you! I will fight to the very end if it's the last thing I do!"

"Sure, go ahead and fight those charges, if you insist." Sam replied evenly with his arms folded. "But you better move fast to get your money out if you want to pay those lawyers, because I heard that the Swiss Bank and the Bank of Canada are going to freeze your assets promptly."

Barty huffed and didn't say a word as he, Gosnell and Iverson were lead away by the FBI agents.

As he watched the event unfold, Shaggy turned and saw the shadowed look on Daphne's face as she watched her father getting arrested.

* * *

 **One more chapter to go, folks! Stay tuned!**


	11. The aftermath

**Author's note: Here's the final chapter, folks!**

* * *

Chapter 11: The aftermath

 _October 12, 2010_

The next morning, the television stations across Coolsville had the same news headlines as the city reacts to the high-profile arrests that occurred the night before.

"The arrests of Mayor James Iverson, Chief of Police Rupert Gosnell and Congressman Barty Blake by the FBI were shocks in themselves." The news anchor spoke. "But the amount of information coming to light about their illegal and corrupt activities and dealings is staggering, the most heinous being Iverson's actual employment of a serial killer who recently escaped from the Crane Institute in Gotham City."

The news footage then showed authorities taking the handcuffed Werewolf into the police van as the anchor continued, "James Richard Gunn is better known as **the Werewolf of the Lennie Weinrib Park** , a serial killer fascinated with young girls resembling his first victim, sixteen-year-old Jamie Roven."

The photo of the gang was shown as the anchor continues, "According to an anonymous source from the police department, Iverson and his gang of goons were taken down by a gang of 'Meddling Kids' following the Werewolf's abduction of the daughter of a well-known critic of Congressman Barty Blake, though Interim Chief of Police Jeremiah Rojas refused to comment on the credibility of the information."

Footage from the court was then shown as the anchor continued, "Earlier this hour, District Attorney Jefferson 'Skip' Jones was sworn in as the interim mayor of Coolsville. Mr. Jones is a well-known figure in Coolsville, being famously-known for following the footsteps of his predecessor Leonard Jackson in cleaning up the city and his repeated clashes with Iverson."

The scene then returns to the studio as the anchor reported, "Coolsville is changing rapidly. Let's hope it's for the better."

After a sip of water, the anchor continued, "To overseas news now. The recent bloody suppression of anti-government protests in the island country of Borada has drawn international condemnation of the island's brutal dictator General Samsa, who's been in power since a military coup in 1991 that overthrow the Washington-friendly former regime, itself accused of human rights abuses in the past prior to the coup."

"Earlier this hour, the UN Security Council has drawn up plans on a resolution to tighten sanctions on the island country, although it is expected that China and Russia, both permanent members of the Security Council and close allies to the island's dictator, will veto the resolution."

In the station, many of the detectives and officers were watching the news on the television when they saw Pistol slamming on the ground.

Turning and looked, they saw Sam and Chan at the doorway. Immediately, one of the detectives asked, "What the h*ll happened to him, Lieutenant?"

Pistol looked like he was bruised as if someone had beat the stuffing out of him.

"He walked right in front of our car." Sam replied as the detective bureau gathered around them.

"Um...pardon me for asking, Lieutenant." Another detective gestured towards Pistol as he spoke. "But what are you doing?"

"What am I doing?" Sam huffed. "He's under **arrest**."

"Are you out of your mind, sir?" That second detective exclaimed in surprise. "You can't arrest him!"

Immediately, Chan turned to him as he asked, "Why **not?** "

"That's right." Sam agreed. "Who else here says that this scumbag can't be arrested?"

Turning to face the other detectives, he continued, "Who else here is going to continue to stand by and watch the city being owned by a criminal scum that continued to prey off it?"

"Which one of you people are cowards?" Chan added.

"One thing for sure is that it's not going to be me anymore." Sam said before marching to his office and added. "And someone is going to have to wash out my trunk!"

During the whole exchange, Captain Stone stepped out of his office and watched the whole scene unfold before shaking his head and stepped back in.

* * *

 _October 15, 2010_

 **(Shaggy's Point of View)**

That afternoon after school, Maggie and I went to take Scooby out for a walk in the Weinrib Park.

"So I heard that Congressman Blake has been released after contacting his lawyers and is preparing to fight the charges facing him, Norville." Maggie spoke to me.

A few hours ago, Dad received a phone call from Special Agent Carl Kasem, who happened to be the twin brother of Cameron Kasem and is one of the agents that were with us and the gang the night when Iverson, the corrupt police chief and Congressman Blake were arrested, and he was informed that Mr. Blake has contacted his lawyers and they have demanded the bureau in releasing him after he was able to pay the bail money.

"Yeah." I nodded before shaking my head in frustration. "It's too bad we can't charge him for the fiasco with all of this money he's got."

"No argument from me." Maggie agreed with me bitterly. "You sure can buy your way into anything these days when you have a lot of money."

"I agree." I sighed as I shook my head. "Come to think of it, that man will sure try to drag the case out long to avoid prison, but thanks to our meddling, his political career has been ruined."

"He did withdraw his bid for reelection and is facing censure in the House of Representatives." Maggie interjected.

"That's right, and his company is now under investigation and scrutiny for its manufacture of biological weapons." I said. "The assets in his overseas and offshore banking accounts has been frozen, Canada is now speeding up its plans to ban his company from doing business there and his company's stock value has plunged. With this controversy dragging on, I'll bet that he might end up going bankrupt."

"I guess that's justice to us, although I still will like to see him serve time in prison." Maggie nodded and sighed.

As Maggie made the remark, we continued to walk Scooby through the park before taking note and spotting a familiar-looking redhead looking towards our direction.

It was Daphne, and I noticed that her face expression changed when she saw us as she walked towards us.

I can feel Maggie tensing up, probably to try to stand up to her for me, and I was quick in pulling her back while we watched Daphne approach us as Scooby growled at her softly.

"Like, I suppose that you're going to curse at me for ruining your father's political and business fortunes, Daphne." I spoke as she came to us.

"If you think you can get away with insulting my brother and bully him, then you're going to have me to answer to!" Maggie added, her hands forming into fists as she speak.

"Well...actually, I just want to talk." Daphne said hesitatingly. "Not that I wanted to make fun of your brother."

"In that case, what will you like to discuss?" I asked as I folded my arms.

Daphne sighed before making her response.

"To be honest, I don't think you three are going to believe that I'm saying this, but Dad totally deserved this." She spoke. "Being called to resign, facing censure in the House of Representatives and facing business troubles are what he needed."

I was surprised when Daphne made the remark. After all, the last time I saw her, she seemed devastated as we watched the FBI agents arrest her father.

"Oh really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I spoke. "Even though he provided for you and your family?"

"He wasn't much of a father figure to me." Daphne snapped. "He always preferred my older sisters over me and never hid his resentment of my not being a prodigy like them, and he always puts business ahead of family and to be honest, after what we've went through, I've started to question his political positions."

She then sighed before continuing, "I guess I should apologize to you for the way I treated you, Shag. I can't help but be reminded of my own troubles whenever I see you, especially with the fact that your father has disdain towards Dad, and...I really needed someone that I can vent my frustrations and anger on."

There was some silence after Daphne made the remark before I nodded thoughtfully.

"Like, it's not a big deal especially since you've been under a lot of stress, Daph." I replied as I placed a hand on her shoulder. "I suppose you're aware of my reputation as a slacker and stoner, eh?"

"I'm guessing that you build up that reputation on purpose to protect yourself and your sister, right?" Daphne asked curiously.

"Pretty much." I nodded. "It's really a pain for me to have to do that to protect myself and Maggie, especially since I have to put up with all the insults that come with that reputation."

"Well, I'm impressed by your ability to stay in character, Shag." Daphne said. "But how were you able to cope with all of the stress?"

"That's where Norville's enormous appetite, musical and artistic talents and his appetite for acting comes into play, in addition to his radio voice and gymnasium skills." Maggie said. "In addition to his love of cracking jokes."

Daphne nodded thoughtfully and smiled for the first time since I became acquainted with her.

"But anyways, what do you plan to do now that your family is facing financial troubles?" I decided to ask her.

"To be honest, I don't care what my father has planned." Daphne replied. "Though I've got a sneaking suspicion that I may have to transfer to a public school and that I may have to work part-time."

"Well, if you do encounter problems adjusting, you can always come to me for help, Daph." I said to her encouragingly.

I still have some doubts on whether she was telling us the truth, but I've decided to put those reservations aside as I opened up to her.

"Thanks, Shaggy." Daphne nodded and smiled before kneeling down to Scooby. "Scooby, I hope you forgive me for the way I treated you before."

"Ron't worry." Scooby replied as he let the redhead rub his head. "Ri understand."

Maggie nodded as she clinged to me. "I do hope you don't try to steal my Norville or Scooby from me, Daphne."

"Don't worry, I won't." Daphne turned to Maggie, who smiled at her.

"I know you won't." Maggie smiled. "Of course, if I think you will be right for Norville, then I won't mind."

Daphne raised an eyebrow at the comment but didn't say anything, and we all sighed in relaxation as we looked towards the late-afternoon sun.

* * *

 **And so, this concludes the first chapter of my _Scooby-Doo: Earth One_ series, folks.**

 **The adventure continues in _D51 SDEO: A Crisis in Coolsville_ , so stay tuned and please read and review!**


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